A Romanian man traveled 40 kilometers by horse to attend the birth of his son after public transport was halted in the north-eastern city of Iasi because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sergiu Ion Ciobotariu caught the attention of passersby and, ultimately, the police as he rode through the city on horseback.

To escape a possible 15-year jail term for breaching travel restrictions, he brought a self-certified form explaining that his journey was essential because his wife had gone into labor.

Police accepted his justification but nevertheless gave him a warning for riding a horse within city limits, according to local media.

Photos and videos of the man on his trusty steed in downtown Iasi went viral on social media, some captioning the story as "love during coronavirus."

Speaking to a local newspaper, the 22-year-old said there was no other way to reach his wife and newborn baby in the quarantined city as all public transport had come to a halt during lockdown.

"I wanted to take the tram but couldn't because of coronavirus restrictions. Then I wanted to go by bike but they wouldn't allow me to cross the bridge to get to the city, so then I took my horse," he told the newspaper.

"I found out about my wife giving birth from a neighbor who she called because I don't have a phone," Ciobotariu said.

CGTN Europe was unable to reach Ciobotariu because of the lockdown, but did contact several people who had seen him riding through the empty streets wearing a face mask.

Another reason for choosing to go by horse, Ciobotariu explained, was that he couldn't afford to take a cab, adding he would much rather use the money to buy food for his three children as he struggles to make ends meet.

"The horse is my best friend. I make money off him helping me collect scrap. I need to earn money for my kids," he told the local newspaper, which is now asking the public to chip in and donate money to help Ciobotariu and his family.

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