EDUCATOR SAVES INJURED MOTORIST

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By Miriam Raftery

Steele Canyon High School’s Assistant Principal, Paul Battle, risked his life to save a young woman who was ejected from a vehicle onto Interstate 8 in Alpine.  The woman, Natali Kestenian, calls Battle her “guardian angel.”

 

Kestenian was driving home in her Toyota Camry the night of December 18th when another driver cut her off. Near Tavern Road, she lost control and her vehicle rolled over, down a slope.  Although she has said she was wearing a seatbelt, she was ejected from the vehicle and thrown onto the highway.

With two broken vertebrae and a fractured skull, Kestenian could not move to save herself from oncoming traffic.  Fortunately, Battle saw what happened and began swerving his car to get traffic to slow down.  He then jumped out of his vehicle and ran to assist Kestenian.

She told 10 News that he held her head and her hand, urging her to “stay with him” when whe felt like she was about to pass out.  Finally an air ambulance arrived and took her to a hospital.

Thankfully, she is recovering with no paralysis, thanks to the courageous actions of Paul Battle.

 

 

 

 


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