Joshua Back believes he was in the right place at the right time.

The Middletown man was filing up his kerosene tank Sunday night at Speedway, 3501 Roosevelt Blvd., when he was approached by a panicked man who said he was just robbed at knife-point. Back then saw a man running from the gas station.

It was decision time.

“I wouldn’t want somebody to rob my grandfather,” said Back, 23.

So he sped away in his vehicle and followed the suspect to the Williamsburg Apartments at 1225 Jackson Lane. He chased the suspect on foot and said he saw Jessy Byrd enter the apartment complex. He yelled to Byrd: “You are done. You can’t hide. I’m calling police.”

Back said he stayed there until Middletown police officers arrived.

A few minutes earlier, Larry Lewis, 67, of Franklin, told police that he walked into Speedway to purchase a Trading Post, and when he returned to his van, a man was sitting in the back seat. The man, who was wearing a gray hoodie, grabbed Lewis around the neck, put a knife to his throat and demanded money.

As Lewis fumbled for his money, he got loose from the suspect, who took off running.

Police entered the apartment doors at 1225 Jackson Lane, and they were greeted by Brandi Fugate, 26, who told officers she saw a man matching the description of the individual leave the apartment complex and run eastbound toward Breiel Boulevard.

Fugate, who police said appeared nervous, then told them that the suspect ran westound, but officers didn’t see the suspect. Fugate was allowed to return to her apartment.

But Back told police that no one left the apartment complex. Police said they believed Fugate was involved in the robbery or was hiding the suspect.

When police knocked on her apartment, she let them in and there were several people in the apartment, including Byrd, who matched the description of the robbery suspect. Police found a steak knife lying by the front door, and a gray sweatshirt lying on the closet floor.

Byrd was charged with aggravated robbery, and he will appear in Middletown Municipal Court on Monday. He remains in Middletown City Jail on a $25,000 bond.

In the last 11 years, Byrd has been arrested 15 times in Middletown, including for assault, attempted assault, aggravated robbery and petty theft.

Does Back, a 2008 Middletown High School graduate, consider himself a hero?

“Not really,” he said. “I’m glad that guy (Lewis) didn’t get hurt. It could have been a lot worse.”