Pregnant Woman in Labor Forced to Ground, Held at Gunpoint By Cops for Speeding to Hospital

By John Vibes
The Free Thought Project
Oct. 17, 2014

Police in Iowa recently engaged in a high speed chase with a woman who was in labor and then held her and her husband at gunpoint on the side of the road.

Ben and Rachel Kohnen were going just 30 miles per hour over the speed limit when they were on their way to the hospital, so Rachel could give birth to their child. They were traveling in the middle of the night when the roads were mostly empty.

However, there was a police car hiding in the darkness, and when the couple passed the car, the officer inside turned his lights on and pursued the Kohen’s SUV along Highway 7, near the town of Manson in Calhoun County.

"He starts following me and he turns on his lights an my wife says we can't pull over. The baby is coming now," the driver, Ben Kohnen of Pomeroy told reporters.

"I did tell him not to stop," Rachel Kohnen confirmed.

Rachel said that she was afraid that she would have the baby in the car and would rather explain the situation to the police at the hospital, instead of having her baby on the side of the road during a traffic stop.

Rachel reportedly attempted to dial 911 during the police chase, but admitted that she may have been difficult for the operator to hear and understand in her condition.

Not long into the chase, police set up tire spikes along the road ahead of the Kohnen’s car. Ben ran over the tire spikes, and instantly all four tires on the car went flat, causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt stop.

As soon as the car stopped, angry police began to yell and point guns at the Kohnens, despite the fact that Rachel was obviously in labor. Immediately, the couple was ordered to the ground at gunpoint, and police refused to even let them explain themselves. Eventually, the officers realized that they had a serious medical emergency on their hands and they rushed the Kohnens to the hospital.

An hour later Rachel was able to give birth to her baby girl, who they named Hazel. Everyone is in great health, but the couple is likely traumatized and are still unsure whether or not they will face charges for the incident.

_
John Vibes is an author, researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture and the drug war. In addition to his writing and activist work he is also the owner of a successful music promotion company. In 2013, he became one of the organizers of the Free Your Mind Conference, which features top caliber speakers and whistle-blowers from all over the world. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. You can find his 65 chapter Book entitled "Alchemy of the Timeless Renaissance" at bookpatch.com.