MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A 10-year-old boy's quick thinking led to many lives being saved along a Montgomery, Alabama, highway Thursday.
Christopher Wheeler was traveling with his 70-year-old neighbor, Alfred Smith, to a nearby scrap yard when Smith lost control of his truck.
Smith began going into diabetic shock and was in and out of consciousness.
"He got sick and he was swerving across the road," Christopher told WSFA. "He started getting sweaty and said he needed a piece of candy."
Special Agent Eric Salvador with the Attorney General's Office saw the truck as it weaved through traffic, running cars off the road and nearly hitting the center wall multiple times.
Salvador said he tried to initiate a traffic stop but the car kept driving.
Because the bed of the truck was full, Salvador could not determine how many people were in the vehicle.
The truck got off at an exit and Salvador called 911.
Salvador called for back up and got assistance from Senior Trooper Lee Walls.
The truck went into oncoming traffic multiple times and ran a red light as Salvador continued to follow the car.
The chase ended because Christopher took action.
"I didn't want us to die. The police were behind us the whole time with their lights on," Christopher said. "I told him to stop, and he kept going. I put my foot on the brake, and I got the steering wheel and pulled it over and put it in park."
Salvador approached the vehicle, noticing Christopher was in the car, and asked the the driver to turn off the vehicle. Smith did not move, so Christopher turned off the ignition.
Salvador asked the driver to put his hands on the wheel. Christopher placed Smith's hands there.
"When I approached the vehicle, the child told me that he wanted to go home and stepped out of the vehicle," Salvador said. "He was terrified."
When Walls put Christopher in his patrol car, he noticed Smith was not responsive and lethargic.
Walls got a Meals Ready to Eat from his car and gave Smith a cookie.
While waiting for Christopher's family to arrive, Walls took Christopher to a nearby fast food restaurant to eat, where the boy told him what happened.
"He grabbed the steering wheel and began to tug on the steering wheel and reach over with his left leg to apply the brakes," Walls said. "He was probably the contributing factor to get the car stopped. "He was mature beyond his years."
Christopher took a picture with Walls and Salvador, which has been posted to Facebook by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, along with the story of Christopher's heroism.
"It brings tears to my eyes for what he did because it took a lot for him to do that and Mr. Mitch is a big six foot man and how he got over that steering wheel to stop that truck, it really amazes me," Christopher's great aunt said. "He used his instinct to stop that truck and I know God was with him."
Smith, who goes by Mr. Mitch, was reported to be doing well and in good condition.
"Without the heroism of that child, I think they would have crashed off the road or into another vehicle. I think he saved a lot of lives out there," Salvador said. "I've been in law enforcement eight years and I've never seen anything like this."
Christopher said he might go into law enforcement in the future.
"I want to help people," he said.