A driver who watched a multi-vehicle crash caused by a stolen SUV on Sunday said instinct kicked in when he jumped out of his own vehicle to tackle the suspect and hold him until police arrived.

“I glanced over my left shoulder and this black SUV just came whipping by me,” said Mike Junor.

“I’m going, this isn’t going to be good.”

Junor was in his vehicle with his wife at 52 Street and 17 Avenue S.E. around 2:30 p.m. Sunday when he watched as a black Lincoln Navigator hit four other vehicles, included a Jeep.

“Next thing I know, I see he’s out of his vehicle, someone said he’s running,” said Junor.

After telling his wife to call 911, Junor jumped out of his vehicle and gave chase.

He said the suspect tried to run into nearby yards but was blocked by a fence.

“I finally got a hold of him, he’s trying to wiggle out of his jacket, his coveralls,” said Junor.

“I just launched on him, gave him the old bear hug lock on the neck and I took him down right on the pavement and said, ‘you’re staying here.’”

Junor said a passenger in one of the vehicles that was hit also helped to hold the suspect down until police arrived a few minutes later.

“It was instinct, he was trying to evade the accident. I didn’t know what the full circumstances, why he was running,” said Junor.

An officer on scene did commend him for stepping up to help police but said he shouldn’t put himself in danger next time.

Junor said he didn’t stop to think, he just reacted.

“I’m just glad no one got hurt and I’m glad everything went down the way it did,” he said.

Calgary police said there were no reports of injuries, while Calgary EMS said no one was treated at the scene.

Duty inspector Curtis Olson said it was important for eye witnesses to stay safe.

"it's important to recognize these types of events are going to be very rare," Olson said. "They're (also) going to be volatile."

"In these types of incidents, we want to make sure people are really good witnesses. These are situations where we don't want people to become in danger (either).

"We have training," he added. "We have our officers trained with how to do that properly."

Two people were arrested by police.

48-year-old Bradley Dale Lesback of Calgary has been charged with one count of dangerous operation of motor vehicle, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, break and enter, possession of break-in instruments, unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, possession of a restricted/prohibited firearm with ammunition, possession of a firearm knowing the serial number has been altered, defaced or removed, possession of stolen property under $5,000, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, and a single count of driving while disqualified.

Lesback also faces two counts of possession of stolen property over $5,000 and nine counts of failing to comply with a recognizance order.

27-year-old Garrett Aveery Pal of Calgary has been charged with a single count of break and enter, being unlawfully in a house, possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, possession of a restrictred/prohibited firearm with ammunition, and possession of a firearm knowing the serial number has been altered, defaced or removed.

He also faces two counts of possession of stolen property over $5,000 and eight counts of failing to comply with a recognizance order.