Pompano Helicopters $362M Lawsuit Targeting Westwood One Sparks Another Helicopter Company to Come Forward Charging it Was Crushed by False Rumors

Pompano Helicopters $362M Lawsuit Targeting Westwood One Sparks Another Helicopter Company to Come Forward Charging it Was Crushed by False Rumors

'They Destroyed Me Too Just Like They Crushed Pompano' Claims Second Apparent Victim

POMPANO, Fla., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Since filing its $362M lawsuit against Westwood One, Pompano Helicopters says it's receiving calls from another Helicopter company that it was similarly crushed by the radio station giant.

Pompano Helicopters Inc. said Monday that its lawsuits against radio station operator Westwood One Inc. and its subsidiary, Metro Networks Communications Inc., for $362 million in damages is striking a chord in another helicopter company that claims it too was unfairly driven out of business by Westwood One, Inc. and Metro Networks Communications, Inc.

Pompano Helicopters President and CEO, Jim Howard Jr., said that he spoke with Bruce Preece, the owner of bankrupt Helicopter Flight Inc. located in Minneapolis MN. Mr. Howard discovered from Bruce Preece that almost the same thing had happened to his company in just about the same way as alleged in Pompano's lawsuits.

"They destroyed me by spreading lies that I was an unsafe operator, then stole my pilots and mechanics in what I can only describe as a heartless conspiracy to drive me out of business," alleges Preece, whose company was forced into bankruptcy in 2002 after Metro terminated its helicopter and TV contracts with stations in, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Memphis, Orlando and Tampa.

Preece is quoted as saying "I was doing a good job for them (Metro), loyal and dedicated, but they wanted my business in house, so they made up a lot of lies, ruined my reputation, put me out of business and wound up with my pilots and mechanics as well as the aircraft".

Pompano Helicopters alleges in two separate lawsuits that Westwood and Metro Networks engaged in unfair trade practices resulting in their taking over Pompano's key personnel, pilots and contracts to provide broadcast stations with helicopters for news and traffic reporting, which eventually drove the company out of business. The company said Westwood spread false and damaging information about the company as part of its campaign.

Pompano claims the actions were also intended to prevent a merger of the company, which would have created a major national competitor to Westwood One and Metro Networks.

Pompano's lawsuits were filed in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Broward County, Florida.

CONTACT: Kelli Bloechinger

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Source: Pompano Helicopters

CONTACT: Kelli Bloechinger of TransMedia Group, +1-561-750-9800 ext. 226

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