A female individual previously residing at a female recovery facility in California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.
According to a police announcement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.
“My keys were taken out of my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.
Authorities located the van about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the 405 freeway heading south.
“This incident is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.
Wilson reportedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the roadway by authorities, as documented in footage from above.
The chase finally arrived at the international border by 1.30pm, prompting the highway patrol to end its pursuit 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 CHP to recover the vehicle.
“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” she said. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”
The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.
“This represents a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”
“The recovery process can be messy,” she added.
Rashid Al-Mansoori is a tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering innovations and digital transformations in the Middle East.
