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Texas baby born during traffic stop

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DENTON, Texas, June 8 (UPI) -- Newborn Texan Jayden Leigh Smith had a high-speed start to life, taking her first breaths moments after her dad was pulled over for doing 97 mph, police say.

The Dallas Morning News reports Denton County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Quigley pulled over former drag racer Jeremy Smith of Ponder speeding in a pickup truck Monday en route to the hospital.

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Quigley quickly realized it was no routine traffic stop when he saw the condition Smith's wife, Jessica Taylor, was in.

"Once he told me the situation, my main concern was getting medical help," the deputy said.

"From the time I stopped the vehicle until she gave birth was less than a minute, and there's no telling what would have happened if she had given birth while they were still en route, especially driving at that speed."

Quigley and Smith teamed up to catch the baby girl as she entered the world and the deputy wrapped her in a raincoat from his patrol car. Paramedics told Smith how to cut the umbilical cord.

"It was so exciting," Quigley said. "Everyone was a little worried and shocked at what was happening, but everything turned out all right."

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Jayden was born at 8:38 a.m., weighing in at 6 pounds, 13 ounces. She and her mother eventually made it to the hospital and were released Tuesday.

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