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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the CHP once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly avoided all the spike strips deployed on the road by police, as documented in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on the following day that the minivan was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the car,” she said. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. We need greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.