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A female individual previously residing at a female recovery facility in California reportedly took a stolen van and led a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a police announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the van about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the context of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner stated on Tuesday that the minivan was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the authorities to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters said. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a psychological and substance abuse crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.