DENVER — Justin Ward says he is always prepared to be in the right place at the right time. That time came on Sunday night while he was working at the Taste of Colorado.

He was working security for Diamond Standard Events at Lincoln Street and 14th Avenue. He was talking to a young boy when he says an SUV, allegedly driven by a drunk driver, was heading straight for the Taste of Colorado.

Acting on instinct, Ward thought of the little boy first.

“He was right here. I grabbed him by the shoulders and twisted myself in front of him”, Ward said.

Using his training, he then went after the car that was headed the wrong way on 14th Avenue.

“As I was running, I actually was worried he would hit the crowds of vendors,” Ward said. “I jumped through his driver window and started messing with his gear shift, trying to stall him out. At that point, I was able to throw him on the ground.”

He was able to keep control of the driver until Denver police arrived.

“He was combative as I was pulling him out of the vehicle — he was trying to throw me off of him, trying to fight me and get us all off,” Ward said.

In the process, Ward fractured a rib and lost his wallet. Now he’s concerned about paying for hospital bills and covering his bills.

“I had rent due pretty much that day,” he said.

Ward’s boss says the company preparation paid off.

Now, the company, Diamond Standard, has established a GoFundMe account to help Ward.

Police arrested Samuel Cone on suspicion of careless driving resulting in a crash.