A Washington State Patrol trooper and a group of good Samaritans worked together to help save the life of a man who had a medical emergency along State Route 303 Friday afternoon.

The 72-year-old Kingston man was traveling north on State Route 303 at the interchange to State Route 3 when, according to witnesses, he began drifting to the shoulder and appeared to be trying to pull over. The man continued approximately 100 feet off the roadway before his vehicle stopped.

Trooper Jim Manning was in the area and responded to the call. Upon his arrival, a 19-year-old male from Indianola had broken the rear window in the man’s Ford Explorer to get to him. Three women — a 22-year-old and 51-year-old from Hansville and a 35-year-old from Poulsbo — climbed inside the vehicle and worked to stabilize the man’s head, secure the vehicle and check for a pulse.

Noticing the man had no pulse and was not breathing, Manning and the 19-year-old male removed him from the vehicle. Manning and a 54-year-old woman from Indianola began performing CPR until medics arrived approximately five minutes later.

The man was transported to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton by Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue. When troopers checked on the man shortly after his arrival, his condition was reported to be stabilizing.

“I’m incredibly impressed with this group of strangers who came together in someone’s time of need,” said Capt. Steve Sutton, commander of WSP District Eight in Bremerton. “It’s only by working together that we make good things happen for our community. I’m very hopeful that this gesture of kindness will have a positive outcome for the patient.”