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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged police chase culminating with her crossing the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“My keys were stolen out of my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation allowing drivers to persist on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips deployed on the road by authorities, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, prompting the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner stated on Tuesday that the vehicle 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,” 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 emotional distress is often non-linear.

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

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.