Local News

APD rescue of stranded motorist hailed as ‘Christmas miracle’

City woman gives birth minutes after police escort her to hospital

In the wee hours of Dec. 17, about a foot of still-falling snow coated the ground outside Katrina Townsend's Fourth Avenue home.

Despite the snowstorm and travel warnings from authorities across the state, Townsend's husband, Luke, diligently cleared a path to the family's car -- knowing at any moment they might need to leave post-haste.

Inside, Townsend counted the minutes between Blake Yohn's contractions, noting the hour was now well past midnight and the contractions were becoming more frequent.

Around 3 a.m., Yohn's contractions were about a minute apart, though her water had yet to break.

"I decided it's time," Townsend recalled. "We have to go. Now."

About a mile north at the Altoona Police Department, Sgt. Michael Stayer monitored radio chatter, keeping tabs on his officers, emergency medical personnel whereabouts and snowplow traffic as city workers strived to keep the roads clear.

It was a quiet night.

Most of the calls coming through dispatch were for vehicles stuck in the snow, and few calls came through on the fire department channels. People were, for the most part, staying indoors.

With temperatures dipping into the low 20s, Stayer hopped into his vehicle and headed toward the Rutter's gas station on Sixth Avenue for a hot cup of joe, APD spokesperson Sgt. Matt Plummer said.

Stranded

Katrina Townsend loaded Yohn into their car, and the two started making their way to the hospital.

"The snow was coming down, but the road -- 30th Street, I think -- was clear," Townsend said.

Two blocks from the house, however, a drift left by the snowplows barred Townsend's entry to Sixth Avenue.

The baby was coming, clear roads or no, so Townsend tried to plow through the snow, ultimately high-centering her vehicle.

"I tried going forward, then back -- rocking us out of the drift," Townsend said. "But we were stuck. So, I called my husband, waking him up, to bring our four-wheeler with a plow and dig us out."

Most of the commotion was a blur to Yohn, who could feel the baby ready to come at any minute.

"I thought -- I was terrified -- that I was going to have the baby right there in the car," Yohn said.

Across the intersection at Rutter's, Stayer saw Townsend digging the vehicle out and decided to lend a hand, unaware of Yohn's precarious situation.

"It was a miracle (the police) showed up when they did," Townsend said. "I truly believe this was all God's doing."

Assessing the situation, Stayer called emergency services for an ambulance, but the road conditions were too poor for them to respond, Plummer said. So, Stayer called in his own backup.

With the help of APD patrolmen Dusten Thompson, Nick Tartalone and the Townsends' four-wheeler, the group was able to dig out Townsend's car. Thompson and Tartalone hopped back in their patrol vehicles, flipped on their emergency lights and escorted Townsend and Yohn to the hospital -- arriving in the nick of time.

Oorah!

Townsend's son, Jaycub Willey, met Yohn at a Texas Roadhouse in 2019, and the two hit it off.

Within a year of being together, Willey -- a local football star, who played fullback for Altoona Area High School -- graduated, attended college and tried his hand at a full-time job, but nothing really fit.

"I've wanted to join the military since I was in high school," Willey said. "But, mom wasn't really happy about it."

Townsend said her family had a long history of military service, but she wanted Willey to first try his other options -- specifically a football scholarship at Geneva College.

After Yohn gave birth to their first son, Oliver, in January, Willey decided to join the U.S. Marine Corps.

As Townsend and Yohn raced to the hospital, Willey was asleep in his bunk in Camp Lejeune, N.C., preparing for another day of mechanic training before flying out Saturday to surprise Yohn with a Christmas proposal.

"I wasn't really awake yet when they told me Baylie was born," Willey said. "I could hear my mom yelling some things on the phone, but I didn't know about how it all happened until I got home."

Seven pounds of joy

At the hospital, Townsend checked Yohn in for the second time in 24 hours.

The previous day, as the snow started flying, Yohn visited UPMC Altoona in an attempt to check into a bed.

While the baby was due the next day, Yohn's contractions were present, but far apart, and her water had not broken.

"They ran some tests and told us we should go home until the contractions were closer together," Yohn remembered. "It was getting bad outside, and I was scared that if we left we wouldn't make it back."

Townsend and Yohn waited in the hospital cafeteria for a while, but baby Baylie wasn't ready, and they returned home.

The second time around about 3:30 a.m., Dec. 17, Yohn was escorted to the maternity ward, but hospital staff had little time to prepare.

"They were putting the (intravenous treatment) into her arm when she pulled away and said she had to push," Townsend said. "Her doctor was amazing, though. She turned the lights down low, and the baby came, and it was just a miracle. Everything was perfect."

About 30 minutes after police helped dig out Townsend's car and escorted the pair to the emergency room, Yohn gave birth to Baylie Willey, weighing 7 pounds and 10 ounces, at 4:07 a.m.

"Something as simple as helping a vehicle stuck in the snow can turn into one of the most important things we do," Plummer said. "It was a great way for the department to close out 2020."

Will you?

With her new baby boy cradled in her arms, Yohn only needed one more thing to make Christmas complete -- Willey -- but to her knowledge, he wouldn't arrive for a few more days.

On Dec. 19, three days before Willey's supposed flight home, Yohn was still in the hospital.

Baiting Yohn with the promise of hot chocolate, Townsend stepped out for a moment and switched with Willey, who'd just pulled in from the airport.

A few minutes later, Willey quietly entered Yohn's hospital room toting a cup of cocoa, surprising an ecstatic Yohn and their newborn.

With their family complete and Yohn cleared to leave, the couple returned to the family home for the holidays.

Delighted, Yohn said she didn't think Christmas could get any better.

On Dec. 22, however, as Yohn decorated the Christmas tree, Willey dropped to one knee and asked Yohn to marry him.

"Oh my god, of course I said yes," Yohn squealed with glee.

Mirror Staff Writer Ike Fredregill is at 946-7458.