🔗 Share this article

A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the CHP once the driver entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to continue to remain on the highway and extend this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on the following day that the minivan was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” she said. “We need more support. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.