Colorado man uses truck to stop swerving driver suffering medical emergency on highway

A Colorado man used his truck to help keep a woman who was experiencing a medical episode from veering off the road. Now he's telling his story.

Ryan Myrick has owned his red Dodge pickup since he was 28.

"It's been stolen three times. It finds its way home every time somehow," he told CBS News Colorado.

Fifteen years later, the truck remains in good condition, driving fair, and most recently helped save a life.

"I was on my way from my job site," Myrick, 40, of Golden, said. "I left work early that day too, so it was for a reason I think."

Myrick said he was driving westbound on 6th Avenue near Wadsworth Boulevard when he noticed a car swerving on the highway and eventually hit the median.

"I thought it was a drunk driver at first," he said.

He quickly realized that wasn't the case.

"I pulled up next to the car and noticed the lady was hunched over- completely hunched over on the passenger seat, seatbelt on and everything," he said. "Sixty-five miles an hour on 6th Avenue west."

Myrick said he had to act fast.

"I had to stop her because she was going to hit the Wadsworth off-ramp," he said. "So I pulled my truck in front of her car, made sure she was right behind me, and then I slowly started to stop and let her just hit the back of my truck."

A nearby officer arrived as Myrick tried to rescue the driver.

"We broke the window open, I ran around the driver's side, reached in and shut the keys off," he said.

A Lakewood police officer is heard thanking Myrick several times after the incident in bodycam footage obtained by CBS News Colorado.

Myrick said the woman is now recovering, while he and his red Dodge pickup are back on the road.

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat," he said, keeping an eye out for anyone who may need a helping hand.