DICKSON, Tenn. (WTVF) — A state trooper delivered a baby on the shoulder of Interstate 40 because there was traffic due to a wreck.
The crash happened December 7 around 7 p.m. on I-40 at the 840 split towards Dickson according to Tennessee Highway Patrol's Aaron Ranker. Then, he heard about a second call for help in the area.
"With my medical experience I did realize, it was imminent, and there was no waiting for the ambulance, and was able to walk her through the birth, and was able to birth a beautiful baby boy," Ranker said.
Before he was a trooper, Ranker was an EMT. This is the third baby he's delivered. "I usually work midnights, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. but for the fact that I happened to be 2 miles away, experienced, and even on shift at that time, is just, the factors are unbelievable," Ranker said.
Mom, Sharie Madrid, and baby are both healthy. Madrid said the trooper saved the day. "It happened so fast," Madrid said. "Couldn’t have asked for a better trooper to come be there for me. I would have not been able to do it without him."
It was cold, but fortunately, he had blankets. "We have some parts of our job that are you know kind of tough sometimes, but to do something like that just means everything in the world," Ranker said.
Madrid is at TriStar Horizon Medical Center in Dickson before they head home to Mississippi. "It was wild that’s for sure, didn’t really have a lot of time to process," Ranker said.
Her husband, James, said they haven't decided on a name yet because the baby came three weeks early. "Very excited, very happy," James Madrid said.
This is the couple's second child together.
December 7, Trooper Aaron Ranker responded to a call of a woman in labor on I-40 near Dickson. When he arrived, he assessed the situation and took action. Using his prior experience, as an EMT Aaron delivered a baby boy just before EMS arrived. We are extremely proud of Aaron! pic.twitter.com/L1uE2ZsgBH
— THPNashville (@THPNashville) December 8, 2021
