Adam Lowe was captured on video wrestling with a suspected drunk driver on the Red Hill expressway
A man wrestles with a suspected drunk driver in the middle of the busy Red Hill Valley Parkway in Hamilton on Wednesday. (Jordan Galway)
Adam Lowe says he didn’t consider the danger he put himself in when he ran into Red Hill Valley Parkway traffic chasing after a suspected impaired driver who was trying to get away from a crash scene.
Lowe, 33, thought he was going to witness a fatality when the troubled man ran away from his SUV, prompting him to intervene.
He had just witnessed the man driving erratically and crash his SUV into a guardrail.
“He ran out into moving traffic and it’s a miracle nobody hit him,” said Lowe.
Adam Lowe does not consider himself to be a hero after he tackled a suspected impaired driving who ran onto Red Hill Valley Parkway’s busy lane, risking his own safety. (Adam Lowe)
Lowe’s struggle with the suspected drunk driver in the midst of Red Hill highway traffic was captured by another motorist’s dash cam video and is being widely shared on social media.
The April 26 video shows Lowe and the other driver wrestling in the highway’s middle lane while afternoon rush-hour traffic grinds to a stop around them. He was trying to hold the driver until police arrived.
‘I’m just a guy that reacted to a situation, end of story.’
– Adam Lowe
“I think once he realized I was on the phone with 911, he realized, he was in trouble,” said Lowe.
Hamilton police confirmed the incident to CBC.
A 27-year-old faces charges of failing to remain, driving while disqualified, dangerous driving, and breach of probation.
Lowe initially thought the driver could have suffered from a medical emergency, causing the swerving and eventual crash. He stopped his own car, and got out to see if he could help.
‘Look, just stop’
When he approached the vehicle, Lowe said the driver continued to say how he needed to leave, how he needed to get home. At this point Lowe suspected the driver was impaired.
“I hadn’t thought of myself being in danger. I just wanted to try and make sure he didn’t hurt himself or anybody else,” said Lowe.
Redhill came to a stand still in both directions to view this evenings wrestling match. Let me stress that there was in fact no "raping" in the making of this video, despite what you might hear. P.s. Thank you for ignoring the GIANT watermark because my cheap ass won't pay for a video editor.UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!!! READ FIRST!Since Facebook won't let me disable comments and as much as I don't feel like doing this, I feel it must be said.The summary version story behind the video: Intoxicated guy (one on the bottom) crashes vehicle. Guy trying to help (one on the top) pulls over to see if he's okay. Intoxicated guy bolts into traffic trying to flee scene by getting in passing vehicles. Guy trying to help reacts quickly (feel the need to add very bravely but also recklessly) and tackles the intoxicated male to prevent him from being struck by oncoming traffic and prevent possible collision as a result of avoiding the intoxicated guy.There seems to be two opinions about this video. Side 1. thinks traffic should of continued on as normal as if there weren't 3 human beings in the middle of the road. Some going as far as just hitting them because murder is apparently funny. Side 2. thinks every person on the Red Hill should've all exited their vehicles and as a group effort we could've solved world problems that day.Side 1. Traffic was blocked for no more than 3 minutes. I realize this creates a delay in your life but the result meant a human being (possibly a lot more than one) didn't die. Imagine your loved one in one of the vehicles passing by, swerving to avoid this man and possibly being serious injured or killed. If only they would've just stopped, waited the few minutes for them to get out of traffic and continue on their way, resulting in everyone being alive and safe. Side 1 woosah or somethin, yall need to chill.Side 2. You're forgetting a huge part about this video – no one at the time besides the guy trying to help knew this guy was intoxicated. As myself and others approached the scene I could see arms being swung and a wrestling match ensued. First instinct tells me these 2 guys are fighting, must be some serious road rage. If you get out of your vehicle on a public highway to break up a fight you should know you're only adding to the body count if one of the crazies from Side 1 decide dinner can't wait another second. All I'm saying is you weren't there, and things aren't always as clear as they seem.Before anyone continues to rage in the comments just understand that everyone did what they thought was best that day. The guy who was just trying to help probably saved the other guy and possibly a lot more peoples lives. It was reckless yes, but he put others above himself and no one should be criticizing him for it. Ask yourself when the last time you risked your life for a complete stranger was. The people blocking traffic (as annoying as we may be) prevented any of the people in the road from being hit by the guy that just can't wait to get home.This post wasn't meant to piss anyone off. Hopefully it opened your minds and in the future we all can be better human beings.
Posted by Jordan Galway on Wednesday, April 26, 2017
According to Lowe, he knew something was wrong when the man attempted to open surrounding car doors, banging on people’s windows, asking for a ride home.
“That’s when I tackled him and said, ‘look, just stop, just stop,” said Lowe.
Lowe noted that although he had to detain the flustered 27-year-old man, he wasn’t aggressive towards him.
“It’s not heroic. Police officers, firefighters, people in the military, anybody that knowingly goes into a dangerous situation day-after-day, those are true heroes,” said Lowe.
Others drove past
While many of the video’s comments on Facebook criticize the drivers who didn’t stop – Lowe defends them.
“It’s a weird situation, there’s two guys rolling around on the Red Hill. I mean who knows what you could be thinking. Are they road raging? Are they both drunk?”
If he were to see that again, Lowe’s not sure he’d get out, not knowing the situation, or who needed the help.
‘The officer didn’t say to me you know, you should never do that, but he also wasn’t praising me up and down as being a hero.’
– Adam Lowe
When CBC asked Hamilton police how citizens are advised in such situations, Media Relations Officer, Constable Steve Welton said attempting to intervene during a crime in progress in not encouraged.
“We recognize that the instincts of citizens often come into play in these situations and we certainly don’t want to quarter back what has already transpired. But what I can say is that citizens should be mindful of their personal safety at all times,” said Welton in an email.
Lowe’s involvement was noted as appreciated.
“Fortunately no one involved in this incident sustained any serious injuries and the responding officers were able to make the arrest. The assistance was appreciated but we encourage calling 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency,” said Welton.
Lowe shared a similar sentiment.
“The officer didn’t say to me you know, you should never do that, but he also wasn’t praising me up and down as being a hero.”
Lowe said he didn’t make it a habit of doing stuff like this.
“I’m just a guy that reacted to a situation, end of story.”
Source: CBC News