A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California allegedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase culminating with her crossing the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.
As stated in a police statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.
“The keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.
Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the CHP once Wilson entered the 405 freeway heading south.
“This incident is very unique in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to persist on the highway and extend this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.
Wilson reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the road by police, as seen in footage from above.
The pursuit eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.
Walters stated on Tuesday that the vehicle was situated 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 wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”
The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.
“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”
“Recovery can be messy,” she added.
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Michael Murray
| 03 Sep 2026
Michael Murray
| 03 Sep 2026
Michael Murray
| 03 Sep 2026