United States News
See other United States News Articles
Title: Couple Nearly Gives Birth in Car As Cop Holds Them on Roadside, Tickets Them for Rushing to Hospital
Source:
Free Thought Project
URL Source: http://thefreethoughtproject.com/co ... ital-minutes-before-baby-born/
Published: Nov 16, 2017
Author: Rachel Blevins
Post Date: 2017-11-28 06:18:17 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 1677
Comments: 29
When a couple was pulled over for speeding in Lakewood, New Jersey, they explained to the officer that the wife was in labor, and they were on their way to the hospital—a logical emergency that would justify exceeding the speed limit. However, the officer responded by delaying the couple’s arrival and issuing the husband a citation for speeding. The couple, who has remained anonymous, told The Lakewood Scoop that when they were pulled over, the husband explained to the officer that he started out driving at the regular speed limit, but only increased his speed when his wife’s symptoms became urgent. “My pregnant wife had been to the doctor that day, and was told that as soon as labor begins she should rush to the hospital, since the baby will be born very quickly. That night labor began, so we immediately set out to Monmouth Medical Center driving at regular speed. While driving on Squankum Road. my wife told me she is starting to feel it is getting closer to birth. I became quite frantic, so I automatically picked up speed, without realizing I was going way over the speed limit.” A report from the Jersey Journal claimed that when the officer clocked the speed of the car, the husband was driving 78 mph in a 50-mph zone. The husband told TLS that he immediately pulled over, and explained to the officer that they were in an emergency situation, and had been instructed by a doctor to come to the hospital as soon as possible. “I respectfully explained that my wife is in advanced labor and I am headed to the hospital. I tried explaining the severity of the situation, but he cut me off without inquiring in what condition my wife is, and just asked for license and registration. We pleaded with him to please make it fast as we are in an emergency, but he answered curtly, sit tight.” The husband then claimed that the officer took his license and registration, and proceeded to hold the couple hostage for over 15 minutes, even though he was made aware of the wife’s critical condition. When the officer finally let the couple go to the hospital, the husband asked if he would escort them there, and the officer replied, “we don’t do these things.” “While stranded, my wife reached a critical point. I immediately started calling out, ‘officer, officer,’ and motioned with my hands, but he completely ignored me. He left me stranded close to 15 minutes while my wife was moaning away. Afterwards he gave me a speeding ticket. I then told him that my wife has reached a critical point, and asked if he could escort us to the hospital. He answered ‘we don’t do these things, but I can call an ambulance,’ which I declined saying I can do the same.” The couple concluded by writing that their baby was born almost immediately after they arrived at the hospital, “20 min. after the officer let us go.” In a statement provided to the Jersey Journal, the Howell Police Department was quick to defend the officer’s actions, and claimed that the “video evidence” of the encounter shows he acted appropriately. “We certainly understand how stressful the moments leading up to birth can be, especially on a woman, and we commend them for their respectful demeanor under the circumstances. However, the officer acted appropriately and any suggestion that the officer’s conduct was improper, unprofessional or inhumane simply contradicts the video evidence.” While the department did not specify as to whether the “video evidence” they referenced will be made public, the idea that a police officer would encounter a couple in labor and rushing to the hospital, insist that they delay their trip by nearly half an hour, and then refuse to escort them to the hospital in an emergency, shows that the officer in question was doing the opposite of “serving and protecting” the public, and he should be held accountable for his actions. Here is the Facebook page of the Howell Township Police department, if you’d like to peacefully express your thoughts on this matter to them. 
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 16.
#8. To: Deckard (#0)
Can a cop, having stopped you for speeding, let you go after seeing that you're rushing your wife to the hospital to give birth? Yes, a cop can. But there is more to it than just letting you go. There are a few factors to consider:
I'm guessing you've never given birth. Detaining a woman in labor so a cop can write up some paperwork is "not good" for the woman in labor.
However, my wife has given birth, and I was smart enough in all cases not to speed while driving her to the hospital. Realizing with my super intelligent mind….it would have been extremely dangerous to do so. Detaining a woman in labor is “better” than her being killed in a speeding accident. Another case why one should NOT to speed to the hospital: Car speeding to hospital crashes into truck; 4 killed .
And of course, no woman has ever died giving birth, ever. Right? *Everything* has happened and anyone can cite one single case of things going wrong to try to argue people should never do one particular thing, like speed to a hospital. Shall I cite a case of a woman dying while giving birth who would have lived if she had made it to the hospital in time? People die every day both from doing things they should not have done and not doing things they should have done. Your demonstrate shallow, 2 cent moral decision making.
#17. To: Pinguinite (#16)
And of course, you can cite me a single incident where a woman actually died giving birth while the vehicle in which she was traveling to the hospital was delayed for 9 minutes. Right? You are trying to make too big a deal out of nothing. Find me a case where any woman died because of a 9 minute delay in arriving at the hospital and I promise I will rethink the issue and give due consideration to your cop-hating bias.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#11. To: Gatlin (#8)
Letting him go to continue driving in an unsafe manner (i.e., his speeding) is not good for anyone; not him, the mother, the baby, or all the other mothers and babies out there using the same roads.
#12. To: Pinguinite (#11)
I'm guessing you've never given birth.
I’ll confirm your guessing is correct, I am a male and I have never given birth. Although a male can give, and has given, birth as in the case here, I still have not given birth. Detaining a woman in labor so a cop can write up some paperwork is "not good" for the woman in labor.
Since you are guessing, let me join you in guessing and then both of us can guess that the cop delaying the speeder for 9 minutes may have saved the lives of the mother, father and the baby since they could have been killed a short distance on down the road if father-to-be had continued speeding. It has happened….see Post #6.
#16. To: Gatlin (#12)
since they could have been killed a short distance on down the road if father-to-be had continued speeding. It has happened….see Post #6.
Replies to Comment # 16. And of course, no woman has ever died giving birth, ever. Right?
Of course a woman has died giving birth, happens infrequently and it is unfortunate and tragic when it does happen.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 16.
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]