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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“My keys were stolen out of my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was occurring,” she said, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Officials located the van about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the chase proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the context of the road situation allowing drivers to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner indicated on the following day that the minivan was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the authorities to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The car is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction emergency,” she said. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.