Florida Troopers Notice Speeding Vehicle, Help Mother in Labor Deliver Baby on Side of the Road
Generally, it’s safe to assume that if someone is speeding in a car at 2 a.m., something suspicious is going on.
That was true in Altamonte Springs, Florida, on March 30 when Florida Highway Patrol troopers Michael Allen and Pete Christie spotted an SUV barreling down State Road 414, doing 83 mph in a 50 — but as they pulled the car over, things got even stranger.
The driver, a male, started waving frantically as he pulled to the side of the road, and kept flailing even when they came to a stop.
The troopers quickly learned the reason why Jarrod Fleming had been speeding: His wife was in labor, and the baby was coming very soon.
By the time the SUV was pulled over, Kelly Smith, Fleming’s wife, was having contractions less than five minutes apart. They realized they weren’t going to make it to the hospital.
“We gotta get out and do this here,” Fleming said, as heard in the resulting dashcam video.
Meanwhile, the troopers were calling for EMS backup — but EMS wouldn’t make it in time, either.
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One of the troopers grabbed a blanket for Smith to lie on and a backpack for her head. With one of their kids waiting in the car, the parents — along with the two troopers — welcomed the family’s newest addition into the world.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the baby “rapidly” fell into Fleming’s hands. WOFL-TV added that one of the troopers helped clear the baby’s airway, and her crying can be heard in the video.
“We had between 6 to 8 minutes for everything to take place from the time the emergency lights were initiated to baby arrival,” Allen told WOFL. “It was very obvious that those contractions were sooner than five minutes apart and so we had to jump into action pretty quick.”
“Courtesy, Service, Protection –- and the occasional roadside baby delivery!” the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles posted on Facebook on March 30.
“Two of our Florida Highway Patrol Troopers helped with a very special delivery early this morning in Seminole County.”
“Wishing the family all the best on their new blessing.”
Mom and baby were taken to Advent Hospital Altamonte in an ambulance. Both were determined to be healthy despite the unexpected roadside delivery.
“FHP extends its best wishes and congratulations to the family on their new addition,” Florida Highway Patrol said, according to WOFL.
It was certainly a unique way to enter the world, and no doubt the little girl will hear this story for years to come — but thankfully it turned out well for all involved!
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
