ABC 7 Eyewitness News Story (Video) 

DAVENPORT, FLA. – When you are a college baseball head coach on a 10-day Spring Break trip with your team, there's a lot to do besides putting together lineups and managing the pitching staff.
 
Coming to the aid of someone in a perilous situation, however, isn't usually on that list.
 
William Paterson University's Mike Lauterhahn was with members of his staff March 15, preparing to make dinner at their Bahama Bay Resort rental, when he heard a loud bang. Once he stepped outside to find the source of the noise, he was met by screams and flames coming from the street. The ninth-year head coach immediately scaled the six-foot wall that borders the property and came face-to-face with the aftermath of a two-vehicle accident, including a woman inside a burning car.
 
"At that point, adrenaline just took over," recalled Lauterhahn.
 
Pioneer assistant coach Marc Palestina had also jumped the wall, and he called 911 as Lauterhahn extricated the woman and conveyed her away from the flames and wreckage.
 
"I knew I had maybe three minutes to do it," he said. "A tire exploded as I was trying to get her out and I thought that was it – that we were both done."
 
A man also was injured and laying on the side of the road, and Lauterhahn and Palestina were able to move him to the other side of the pavement and away from the fire. The NCAA-mandated first aid training came in handy as they waited for help to arrive.
 
"Fortunately, we just happened to be in the right place at the right time to help," Lauterhahn said. 

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