Watch: Man fights off carjacker at gas station

VANCOUVER, Wash. - A Washington state man says he feels lucky to have his keys back after his struggle with a would-be carjacker was caught on video.

Bill Black of Vancouver, Washington, was putting air in his tires at a gas station around midday and left his car running while he filled them. He told KPTV when he got to the back passenger side, he heard his driver’s side door close — then the car started backing up.

Black’s adrenaline started pumping, and he quickly jumped in his car through the passenger side.

He said it wasn’t only his car he was protecting: it was his livelihood, too. His work laptop and other items were in the vehicle.

"It's not just the person stealing a car. It's a person stealing, you know, my personal, my personal life," he said. "I just had to protect, you know, my, my valuables and my stuff.

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"Once I jumped in the car, then I just kind of put my arms around the guy," Black continued. "He hit me a couple of times ... knocked my glasses off. I punched him about three or four times in the face while I was choking him."

The car came to a sudden stop during the confrontation, and that’s when Black was thrown into the dashboard.

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"And I was just freaking out, you know, just trying to be stupider and crazier than he was," Black recalled. "He kind of freaked out and said, 'Let me out, let me out.' He got out and took off running."

Black said he feels lucky to have his keys back, though the suspect remains on the loose.

"That just freaks me out. It could have been my wife. It could have been, you know, I mean these people have to understand that it's not acceptable," he said.