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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement announcement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, named the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by police, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner stated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

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

“This is a psychological and addiction emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” Walters concluded.