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HERRIMAN — When a Unified police officer’s wife went into labor early Tuesday morning, he had to act quickly.
The couple was home when officer Travis Clark’s 27-year-old wife Paige went into labor at about 3 a.m., according to UPD. As the labor rapidly progressed, the couple got into a patrol car in an attempt to make it to Riverton Hospital before the baby was born.
Clark called dispatch to ask for medical personnel to meet them halfway, but had to pull over on Redwood Road near 2100 North. Before anyone else could arrive on scene, he delivered his baby daughter at 3:28 a.m.
"It happened really fast and I didn’t have time to think about it," Clark told the Doug Wright Show.
The police officer said his No. 1 goal was to make it to the hospital safely, but halfway through the trip his wife said they weren't going to make it. Clark's training kicked in and before he knew it, he had his baby daughter Bexleigh in his hands.
“I ran around the corner (of the patrol car) and all I kind of did was catch the baby," he said.
Clark said he found a string to tie off his daughter's umbilical cord. After wrapping the baby girl, he passed her to her mom.
The police officer sounded calm while talking to dispatch, announcing the birth of baby Bexleigh over the call. He was greeted with congratulations.
The healthy baby and mother were transported to the hospital by paramedics shortly after the birth, according to UPD. The baby is reportedly happy, eating and crying.
Bexleigh is the Clark's second child. Their first daughter, who is 2, also arrived along a similar timeline, but was born in a hospital.
Contributing: Alex Cabrero
