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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 culminating with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

According to a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“My keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was occurring,” she said, noting that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation allowing individuals to continue to remain on the highway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the road by police, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” she said. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.