A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.
According to a police announcement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.
“My keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was happening,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.
Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the CHP once the driver entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.
“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this pursuit,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.
The suspect reportedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as seen in aerial videos.
The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, prompting the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.
Walters indicated on the following day that the vehicle was situated 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,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease aware she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”
Walters, who has operated 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 addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”
“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” she added.
Astrophysicist and space technology consultant with 15 years of experience in lunar mission planning and research.
