Pilot killed in helicopter crash was father, instructor, former paramedic

ST. CHARLES PARISH, La. (WVUE) - Officials have identified the pilot of a helicopter that crashed onto I-10 at the Bonnet Carre Spillway Bridge.

The St. Charles Parish Coroner identified the man as 42-year-old Joshua Hawley, from Livingston Parish.

At around 12:30 p.m. on Tues., Dec. 14, Hawley’s Bell 407 chopper clipped an Entergy transmission line and crashed onto the eastbound side of the spillway near mile marker 212.

Hawley was the only person on board the flight from Baton Rouge to New Orleans Lakefront Airport, officials say.

Hawley is a father of three children, all under eight years old.

After working on planes for 14 years, Hawley became a pilot in 2014, according to his social media accounts. He eventually started his own flight school, Airspeed Flight Services, in Baton Rouge in 2016.

In 2019, WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge caught one of Hawley’s choppers flying over Healing Place Church dropping eggs for the annual Easter Egg Drop.

Hawley also briefly worked as a paramedic for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Baton Rouge for just over four years.

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Witnesses say the chopper was flying low and fast before a fiery explosion engulfed the interstate.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

The Bonnet Carre Spillway will be closed in both directions for a period of time on Sunday for Entergy crews to make repairs to the damaged infrastructure.

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