On Tuesday morning, Ryan Erwin was in a meeting at work when he and his colleagues heard a crash outside their office at Metro Construction near downtown Denver. Looking across Interstate 25, they could see the aftermath.
“I looked over the highway and I saw a truck on its side,” Erwin said. “I just kind of jumped into that first response, which is, you better go make sure everybody’s OK!”
Erwin ran across the interstate to the scene of the crash. He found a truck on its side, and the driver trying to climb out. Several other people were gathering around also trying to help.
“At that point, [the driver] was halfway out, crawling out the top," Erwin explained. "I helped him to the ground, I asked him some questions to make sure he was coherent, that he didn’t have any head injuries. and he seemed ok – but you never, know.”
“I remember he took my face,” said Steve Holden, the driver.
He said Erwin gave him directions and took control of the situation until first responders arrived.
“Focus, stay here, everything’s fine,” he remembered Erwin saying. “[He] took control of me and took control of the people.”
Erwin said he learned first responder skills serving in the military.
“I joined Marines in 2006. I was an airport rescue firefighter,” he said. “The Marines, they teach you to stay calm. And in a situation like this, that’s the number one, most important thing – you’re not thinking straight unless you’re calm.”
Denver Police said the call came in originally as a hit and run. Tuesday afternoon, police could not provide any additional details about the crash, including verification of a hit-and-run. DPD said they are investigating and ask any witnesses to call them if they have additional information.
Holden said he was driving his work vehicle north on I-25 when suddenly he felt the impact, and his truck rolled several times.
“I just remember sliding and remember thinking – that was it. That was my last ride, I guess," he said. "Then I was thinking – oh my god, somebody’s going to run into me. Then, my truck is going to burn up.”
Holden said he never saw who hit him, and said whoever it was didn’t stay on scene. An ambulance took him to the hospital but he was released later in the day with no serious injuries.
“I’m incredibly lucky. I lost my truck, which was my good friend, but – it’s all good,” he said.
“Obviously it could have been a lot worse, but he’s home tonight, which is awesome,” Erwin added.
Both men are quick to credit the first responders who arrived shortly after the witnesses.
“So really those are the guys to thank,” Erwin said. “The firefighters and police officers who are really heroes and do this every day.”
