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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long police chase culminating with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, reported 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.

“The keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the van about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the CHP once Wilson entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the road by police, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters said. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

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

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

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.