Last Monday, Tyler Ward was driving his tow truck along Highway 20 near the Angrignon exit around noon when a commotion caught his eye.

“I saw a lady running and a male running after her and she screamed. At that point I was already in the exit and I kept looking and I saw him push her to the ground,” he said.

The 29-year-old made a U-turn and raced back to the spot, already dialing 9-1-1.

“Then I saw him go after her again and that's when I said, 'It's going to take too long for the police to get here, I’ve got to react.’ … So I got out of my truck and I went after him,” he said.

With the 9-1-1 operator listening in, Ward pulled the man off the woman and put him up against his truck. He then turned to the woman and told her to get up and walk toward a nearby building.

“That's what she tried to do and he tried to continue to go and get her,” he said.

The man then approached Ward, pushed him twice and “got right into my face,” he said.

The man got in his car and tried to get to the woman again, but Ward stepped in. That's when the man finally drove off. He was arrested after his car collided with a mini-bus.

Police arrested the man and he is now facing charges of assault, fleeing the scene of an accident, dangerous driving causing bodily harm and drug possession.

But even though Ward is being praised for his actions, police are advising caution when it comes to intervening in situations that the one Ward found himself in.

“When they see something like that, when they see a conflict, when they see a fight, don't hesitate to dial 9-1-1. Don’t put yourself in danger, you never know what's going to happen,” said Manuel Couture, Montreal police spokesperson.

Ward said he realized afterward it could have been dangerous, but he said he went on autopilot when he saw the scene unfolding – he called it a case of react first, think later.

“I was in the police car doing the statement and I said, oh - okay, maybe this could have turned differently. I’m glad it didn't. But again, I wasn't thinking of that. I was thinking getting her to safety,” he said.