(FOX 5/KUSI) — Authorities have released the name of the driver who caused an hours-long slowdown and closure on a portion of Interstate 15 in San Diego and led police on a pursuit before being detained Tuesday morning.

Around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) received a call about a trailer possibly being stolen in the 7500 block of Balboa Avenue.

When officers located the vehicle, they contacted the female driver and placed a stop stick behind one of the vehicle’s rear tires. She accelerated away from drivers, leading to a pursuit on northbound I-15.

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SDPD identified the driver as 34-year-old Panayiota Xirogiannis of San Diego. She had a dog with her at the time of the incident.

At some point, the vehicle lost its rear tire and eventually became disabled in the middle lanes of the freeway. Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Xirogiannis refused to engage in conversation, according to SDPD.

After one hour, officers deployed pepper balls into the vehicle. Xirogiannis then drove off the road to exit on Miramar Way, nearly hitting an 82-year-old man, before re-entering I-15 on the southbound lanes.

She eventually did a U-turn and began driving the wrong way against oncoming traffic. Due to her going the wrong direction on the freeway, officers did not pursue the vehicle, SDPD said.

The vehicle eventually stopped between Carroll Canyon Road and Mira Mesa Boulevard. Xirogiannis was seen on CalTrans cameras running across the lanes of traffic and attempting to enter other people’s vehicles. Police later took her into custody.

Xirogiannis was taken to the hospital and subsequently released. She was booked into the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee for assault with a deadly weapon, carjacking, felony evading, reckless driving, multiple counts of hit and run, driving the wrong way on a highway and vandalism.

SDPD took the dog to the San Diego Humane Society, where it’s being held for the next few days. If no one claims it, the dog will be evaluated and may be available for adoption.

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