Louisiana Voice

To say Lafayette wealthy used car dealer Donald Mendoza leads a charmed life would be something of an understatement.

Nineteen years ago, he was shot twice at his dealership, Don’s Sports & Imports car lot.

In March, he walked away from a helicopter crash that has raised some unanswered questions.

The National Transportation Safety Board recently released a nine-page report on the crash of the million-dollar-plus helicopter Mendoza was piloting without a license.

The NTSB report said Mendoza, 51, was piloting the Roberson R-66 craft from a maintenance facility to a concrete driveway near his hangar at 3:28 p.m. on March 9 when a gust of wind during his hover maneuver caused him to lose control.

He told investigators that the helicopter, which is equipped with Rolls-Royce 300 engine, “nosed over and struck the driveway” and ended up resting on its left side. He said he was unable to recall how the helicopter ended up on its side. He was able to exit the craft on his own power, the report said.

The helicopter’s rotors were destroyed, the tail was snapped off and the hub sustained damage, the report said. The helicopter was deemed a total loss.

Other than noting that he had no pilot’s license, the report did not elaborate on the fact that Mendoza was operating the craft without a pilot’s certificate, nor what the penalty, if any, was for such an infraction.

The report indicated the helicopter was registered to Trinity Paul Air, LLC, though the Louisiana Secretary of State’s records had no corporate listing for a Trinity Paul Air. Mendoza is listed as a principal of a number of corporate entities, including DW Don’s Automotive Group which apparently has replaced Don’s Sports & Imports, which was listed as inactive.

Mendoza was also listed as an officer of DW Air Service, LLC. Both DW Don’s Automotive Group and DW Air Service are domiciled at the same address in Lafayette.

Danielle Mendoza is listed as an officer of DW Don’s Automotive Group. Her name also surfaced in an incident in 2002 in which Don Mendoza was SHOT TWICE, in the back and leg, at his import car lot.

A man identified as Ben Broussard, a veteran of the French Foreign Legion, appeared at the dealership demanding to speak to a woman he identified as his cousin, whom he indicated was Danielle Alleman, Mendoza’s then-girlfriend.