Louisiana man arrested for speeding to hospital after wife goes into early labor

The roof of a police patrol car at night, with the blue and red lights flashing. (kali9)

A new dad in Louisiana missed the birth of his daughter when he was arrested while driving his wife to the hospital after she went into early labor.

When Bridget Evans went into labor Monday evening, seven weeks before her due date, she said she and her husband, Zak, jumped into the car, put on the flashers and sped to the hospital.

A Creola Police officer spotted them on the road and followed them for about five miles.

"My officer clocked them doing 108 in a 55," Police Chief Heath Landry told WISTV. "He got behind him, cut his lights and siren on. The vehicle then started passing people on the right and left shoulder."

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Police said the couple's car did not have its flashers on.

An officer eventually pulled the car over, and the Evanses said they tried to explain the situation.

"My husband immediately started screaming, ‘My wife is in labor.’ And I started screaming, ‘I am in premature labor.’ And we both got out when they were like, ‘Get out of the car!’” Bridget Evans said

Police said the high rate of speed, and the fact that the car did not immediately pull over, led to Zak Evans' arrest.

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He was taken to jail while his wife was taken by ambulance to Cabrini Hospital.

"From my understanding, Mr. Evans was very irate, threatening to get everyone if he missed his wife's pregnancy,” Landry said.

Zak Evans said he was mad, but it was only because he was worried about his wife and baby.

The hospital intervened in the father’s arrest, however; a doctor called and said there might be issues with the pregnancy.

Officers wrote Evans a ticket for speeding, flight from an officer and careless operation. Police dropped off Evans in the hospital parking lot, but he missed the birth of his baby, Letty Evans, who came in at 4 pounds, 4 ounces.

Landry said the arrest was a public safety issue, but the Evanses said they still are unhappy about the incident. But, the family is choosing to look at the bright side: Letty is going to be OK.

"She's alive, thanks to the Cabrini team. She's alive,” Bridget Evans told KALB.