SAN DIEGO -- Two people have been arrested in connection with the apparent kidnapping and sexual assault of a 21-year-old woman who was left along the South Bay Expressway Thursday night.

A 33-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman were taken into custody on Friday, San Diego police Lt. Andra Brown told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Police said the man and the woman – who were later identified as Christopher R. Carrera and Catherine R. McCoy – attacked a 21-year-old woman as she walked to a residence in the Azalea/Hollywood Park area of City Heights at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Police believe the woman knew the suspects.

According to police, Carrera and McCoy punched and kicked the woman before forcing her into a white sport utility vehicle. Police said Carrera drove the SUV while McCoy beat, sexually assaulted and threatened to kill the woman.

Later, Carrera abruptly stopped the SUV on State Route 125 near State Route 54 and dragged the woman out of the vehicle by her hair over an embankment, according to authorities. Police said the pair left the woman and fled in the SUV.

At about 8:30 p.m., a passing driver called police for help after seeing the woman.

"They saw a male dragging the victim up the side of the hill by her hair … by the time they got turned around they were gone or in the process of leaving," said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Kevin Mensior.

The California Highway Patrol searched the area and found a lot of blood at the location where the woman was found on the toll road.

Police said the woman suffered extensive injuries and was taken to a hospital in Chula Vista. A SDPD detective told 10News the woman was released from the hospital on Saturday and is cooperating with the investigation.

During follow-up investigations, Carrera was arrested without incident in Chula Vista on Friday. A short time later, McCoy was arrested during a traffic stop in the Talmadge area.

Detectives said McCoy had a previous criminal record. 10News learned she faced three criminal charges in the 1990s and was involved in four civil cases between 1977 and 2007.

It was unclear if Carrera had a criminal record.

Carrera and McCoy were booked into the County Jail and Las Colinas, respectively, on multiple charges, which include attempted murder in the first degree and kidnapping with the intent to commit robbery and rape.

They are being held without bail pending their arraignment, which is scheduled for Wednesday.