Woman eludes police after high-speed chase from California into Mexico | California
A woman staying at a women’s retirement home in California stole a minivan and was chased by police for hours until she crossed into Mexico on Monday.
A second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing along with her car keys, according to a statement from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. Walters, who owns and operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson, a resident of Diana’s House Sober Living in Thousand Oaks, about an hour’s drive northwest of Los Angeles.
“The keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. That’s when I went upstairs,” he said, adding that the minivan was used for sober home duties.
Authorities tracked the van about 12 miles (19 km) north to Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. He reached speeds of approximately 95 mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into Los Angeles County. There, Ventura County authorities turned the pursuit over to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) when Wilson entered the southbound 405 freeway. expression in question.
“This is very unique in terms of the traffic conditions that allowed individuals to continue to stay on the highway and continue that pursuit,” said Capt. Robert Yoos, public information officer with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. KTLA-TV.
According to released aerial videos, Wilson dodged all the nail strips thrown onto the road by authorities. ABC7.
According to Walters, the chase eventually reached the U.S.-Mexico border at 1:30 p.m., where the CHP ended the chase due to jurisdictional restrictions.
The vehicle was in Tijuana, Mexico, and he was working with the CHP to retrieve it, Walters said Tuesday.
“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters said. “Knowing you weren’t hurt makes me even more relieved. The car can be replaced.”
Walters, who has owned Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is not always linear.
“This is a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” he said. “We need more support. We need more resources for those who are struggling.”
“Recovery is not always pretty,” he added.
