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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and led a prolonged police chase culminating with her traveling across the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a police statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 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, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen out of my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the CHP once the driver entered the 405 freeway heading south.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the road situation allowing drivers to persist 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 deployed on the road by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The chase eventually reached the international border by 1.30pm, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner indicated on the following day that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from addiction and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This represents a psychological and addiction emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.