MIAMI – A Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue paramedic hurt in a deadly helicopter crash in Pompano Beach held a news conference Friday afternoon as they prepared to take legal action against at least one company.
A Miami-based law firm is representing Mikael Chaguaceda, 31, hosted the 1 p.m. news conference at its downtown offices.
The paramedic and his attorneys called for an investigation into a company involved in replacing the helicopter’s air conditioning unit, Metro Aviation of Shreveport, Louisiana and announced plans to file a lawsuit against it and potentially other companies suspected of negligence in the Aug. 28 crash.
“We want an investigation into that work that was done in this helicopter,” the paramedic’s attorney, Judd Rosen, said.
The crash killed a colleague, Capt. Terryson Jackson, as well as Lurean Wheaton, 65, who died when the chopper crashed through the ceiling of her Pompano Beach apartment.
In addition to Chaguaceda, three other people were hurt.
Chaguaceda and pilot Daron Roche, 37, were able to crawl out of the wreckage.
Chaguaceda spoke about what was going through his mind that day. The flight medic described in great detail the moments he knew something was wrong with the helicopter he was working in.
“Every single thought I had was my son, my family, how is this going to be explained to my son,” he said. “Right before the tail rotor snapped off, my captain (Jackson) said, ‘Don’t worry Mikey, we are going to be good.’”
But Jackson, who was posthumously promoted to battalion chief, never made it out. Chaguaceda described Jackson as his best friend.
“We landed nose-first into this dwelling, which is why my captain died on impact,” Chaguaceda explained.
But moments before, he started seeing smoke and fire coming from the cockpit as he and his crew were headed to a crash involving a young boy who’d just been hit by a car.
“Even though I knew this was mechanical and we probably wouldn’t be living after this, all I could think about was that child, being that I have a 6-year-old at home,” Chaguaceda said.
Rosen said that if the air conditioning and the work done on it caused the crash, “then Metro Aviation and whoever was involved in that work need to be held accountable.”
“Not only does there need to be accountability for this incident, there needs to be some measures taken so there are no other incidents,” Rosen said.
Members of the FAA and the NTSB are investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash.
Metro Aviation released the following statement to Local 10 News: “Metro is cooperating with the NTSB and FAA and can not comment on an ongoing investigation.”