At approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Spears headed towards her Studio City home after leaving UCLA Medical Center.
Not long after Spears left the hospital it didn't take the paparazzi long to catch up with the troubled pop star in her car.
They were there in force and they pursued her as she turned away from her home and headed towards Beverly Hills.
It was a wild ride with Spears behind the wheel. She was accompanied by a male passenger, who has not yet been identified.
Several times when the pop princess came to a stop her car was swarmed by paparazzi.
Spears was seen smiling at times. She also took pictures with her cell phone of the mob following her.
The paparazzi were all after the money shot of the 26-year-old pop star who just spent six days at a UCLA psychiatric unit.
Paramedics with a heavy police escort took the troubled pop star from her home to the hospital Jan. 31. She was held for a 72-hour evaluation that was originally set to expire Sunday. Her stay was then extended for two weeks.
After Spears was hospitalized last week, the singer's father, James Spears, was named temporary conservator of her estate pending another hearing Feb. 14.
A temporary restraining order was filed Friday against Spears' confidante Sam Lutfi, who has described himself as her manager and "very good friend."
The order against Lutfi, 33, was based on a lengthy declaration from Spears' mother, Lynne. She says they met in October 2007, when he "essentially moved into Britney's home and purported to take control of her life, home and finances."
Lynne Spears' account of a long, chaotic night at Britney's home depicted a drugged and confused pop star being led around by Lutfi, who was setting up pictures for the paparazzi even as she was spinning out of control.
Lynne Spears said in the order that Lutfi "drugged Britney, he has cut Britney's home phone lines and removed her cell phone chargers.
Spears' release is very puzzling. Her father and her attorney say that this is very bad for her.
When Spears first entered the hospital it had been said that she would not be released until she was stable and no longer a threat to herself or others.
Spears, who is in a child custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline, was also briefly hospitalized earlier in January after police were called to her home when she refused to return her sons to a Federline bodyguard after a visit. That trip to the hospital occurred amid a swarm of paparazzi.
Spears has since lost all visitation rights.
Her incognito getaway Wednesday from UCLA Medical Center required no police, said Capt. Sharyn Buck, commander of the North Hollywood police station, which covers the area where Spears' home is located. "There was no media, no paparazzi, and no need for public safety protection," Buck said.
The frenzy apparently did not happen until Spears reached her home in Studio City.
Eyewitness News reporter Miriam Hernandez and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
