Water poured across Kamehameha Highway in Ka'a'awa yesterday after a vehicle struck a fire hydrant near the Crouching Lion Inn. Lindsay Barney, heading for Castle Medical Center to give birth to her first child, found herself stuck in the traffic. Keiko Ukai-Joyce • Special to The Advertiser

Lindsay Barney, 23, a counselor at Kahuku High and Intermediate School, said her husband drove out of his lane and got near the Crouching Lion, where a nearby resident offered his house to the couple. A nurse and a birthing coach happened to be near the accident scene tending to the driver of the Explorer.

Lindsay said she had resigned herself to giving birth in a stranger's home, but Emergency Medical Services personnel were able to take her to Castle in active labor after the driver in the accident refused treatment.

"When I saw the water (from the hydrant) and the traffic I started bawling," Lindsay said yesterday afternoon from Castle. "I was having contractions and stressed. It will definitely be a day to remember."

After arriving at the hospital at 8:55, checking in and preparing for the birth, Lindsay had time to spare.

Son Ethan Powell arrived at 12:45 p.m. He has strawberry blond hair, weighed 6 pounds 2 1/2 ounces and is 19 inches long.

The 7:48 a.m. accident fronting 51-622 Kamehameha Highway knocked out electricity to 700 customers in the area, said Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Jose Dizon. Power was restored to all but 50 of the customers by 8:21 a.m. Repair work was expected to last all day, Dizon said.