SAN DIEGO — An hours-long police standoff with a domestic violence suspect that shut down Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton on Wednesday ended when the man fatally shot himself, local authorities said.

San Diego police officers began searching for the driver and white BMW around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday after a naked woman reportedly flagged down officers off Central Avenue in City Heights. She told police she was assaulted by her 28-year-old boyfriend over a two-day period.

Police say the woman suffered two broken ribs, swelling to her face and bruises all over her body. Her boyfriend allegedly hit her on the head with an ax, choked her, tied her up inside his apartment and sexually assaulted her, the police department said.

While she was being held captive, he reportedly told her he was going to buy a gun and if the police were called, he would kill her. When he left the apartment, she escaped and asked neighbors for help, according to a police department news release.

Officers saw the BMW the man was said to be driving on I-15 north near I-8 a few hours later. They chased the driver and used multiple spike strips before the SUV came to a stop on I-5 near the Basilone exit.

FOX 5’s Shally Zomorodi was among drivers stopped on I-5 south as officers shut down the entire freeway. A SWAT team was called and all lanes remained closed as police worked to get the man to surrender.

San Diego police said the man inside the BMW shot himself just after 6:15 a.m. He was taken from the scene by ambulance and died at an Orange County hospital, police said.