VENTURA, Calif. — A rape suspect died after drinking cyanide during a freeway chase in Southern California on Wednesday, authorities said.

Jonathan Hanks, 33, of Camarillo, was pulled from his car and pronounced dead at the scene on Interstate 101. He was wanted in connection with the Feb. 4 rape of an underage victim in Los Angeles, LAPD Officer Tony Kuey said.

Undercover investigators were planning to serve an arrest warrant on Hanks at around 7:30 a.m. when they asked the California Highway Patrol for help in stopping his car, Kuey said.

CHP tried to stop the Nissan Versa but instead it led them on a six-mile chase from Oxnard into neighboring Ventura, CHP Officer Kevin Denharder said.

The car ultimately drove onto the right shoulder of the freeway, drifted across all northbound lanes and then came to a stop after bumping the center median, he said.

During the chase, an officer saw the man drinking something that was later found to be a mixture of salt and potassium cyanide, Denharder said.

Television news footage showed a Nissan Versa stopped against a barrier surrounded by fire and police vehicles, including an armored SWAT truck. A firefighter wore a gas mask during an initial inspection of the suspect's vehicle.

The site is about 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.