WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) — Police said a Winter Haven man is “lucky to be alive” after three men tried to rob him last week, at one point grabbing his steering wheel and putting him in a chokehold.

It all began after a woman asked the victim to give her a ride on the afternoon of April 17, according to the Winter Haven Police Department.

Immediately something appeared to be off when the man saw that his friend was with three other men.

The woman got in the front seat while the three men, identified by police as Soverson Dionne Leguere, 18; Joangel Vinicio Rodriguez, 18; and Sebastian Alfonso Ledesma Colon, 18, got in the backseat.

The victim drove his friend to her destination and dropped her off, but the three suspects did not leave with her. Leguere moved into the front seat and the victim began to fear “something was going to occur,” investigators said.

He continued driving the three suspects to another destination. However, once they were on Lucerne Park Road, officials said Leguere pulled out a shank, grabbed the steering wheel and demanded $700.

Meanwhile, Ledesma Colon put his arms around the victim’s neck and placed him in a chokehold, police said.

Fearing that he was going to be killed, the victim pressed his foot down hard on the gas pedal, sending the car crashing into a swampy area directly off the roadway.

Authorities said the three suspects jumped out of the car and ran as they threatened the man and told him they know where he lives.

Detectives found Leguere later that same day and took him into custody. The two other suspects were tracked down over the weekend. All three were booked into the Polk County jail.

Leguere was charged with one count of robbery and was being held on a $10,000 bond, according to the police department.

Ledesma Colon and Rodriguez were charged with attempted robbery and were each held on a $5,000 bond.