SAN DIEGO -- California Highway Patrol officers spent nearly 40 minutes Friday pursuing an elderly motorist from Encinitas to University City, where the chase ended peacefully.

A CHP officer saw a Toyota Prius traveling around 30 miles per hour on southbound Interstate 5 near Leucadia Boulevard in Encinitas around 5:30 a.m., said CHP Officer Ray Scheidnes.

The same officer also saw the Prius nearly crash into other vehicles, Scheidnes said. He attempted to pull the driver over, but the man did not stop, he said.

The driver was "very elderly" and may have been confused to even find himself on the freeway, Scheidnes said.

The driver continued south and merged onto southbound Interstate 805 before exiting onto westbound state Route 52, he said. He then took the northbound Genesee Avenue exit, where a number of CHP vehicles were waiting for him.

The driver finally pulled over around 6:08 a.m. and officers escorted him out of the vehicle without incident. CHP officers took the driver into custody and drove him to a relative's home, Scheidnes said.

The driver was "completely cooperative and just highly confused," according to Scheidnes.

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