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A female individual formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a law enforcement statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, 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 an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the stolen vehicle 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 sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the CHP once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the road situation enabling drivers to persist on the highway and prolong this chase,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol 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 authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” she remarked. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.