An 85-year-old man displayed remarkable agility and courage when he thwarted a kidnapping attempt by a man pretending to be a utility worker, according to authorities.
Matthew Hokulii Aranda, aged 42 and identified as being transient from the Medford area, faced indictment by a Jackson County grand jury on May 14. He was charged with 10 counts related to a frightening incident that occurred on May 8, as reported by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators revealed that Aranda allegedly masqueraded as a utility worker and waited for several hours for his intended target, a 25-year-old woman employed as a caregiver at a mobile home park in rural Medford, Oregon.
Upon the woman’s arrival, Aranda allegedly used a Taser to incapacitate her before physically assaulting her, authorities stated.
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Matthew Hokulii Aranda, aged 42, was indicted on 10 charges following accusations of masquerading as a utility worker and ambushing his victim. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon)
That’s when, police said, a “hero” 85-year-old resident heard the woman screaming and confronted the armed suspect, giving the victim a chance to escape to her car, the sheriff’s office said.
Aranda then allegedly used the Taser on the elderly good Samaritan before chasing the woman with a large hunting knife.
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The victim managed to get inside her vehicle, but Aranda allegedly jumped onto the hood as she drove away. He fell off and was injured, authorities said.
Body-worn camera video shared by the sheriff’s office showed deputies and a K-9 locating Aranda hiding in some nearby bushes and taking him into custody. (Jackson Sheriff’s Office, Oregon)
Deputies later found Aranda hiding in a nearby bush and arrested him without further incident.
Video of the arrest captures authorities hot on the trail of the alleged attacker, with K-9 helping authorities.
As the suspect was pulled from the bushes, he is heard telling police that his “leg is broken.”
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The suspect allegedly used a Taser on the victim and the elderly Good Samaritan before chasing the victim with a hunting knife. (Jackson Sheriff’s Office, Oregon)
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Aranda was charged with two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of first-degree attempted kidnapping, second-degree attempted kidnapping, two counts of stalking, unlawful use of a GPS device, unlawful use of a weapon and menacing.
The sheriff’s office said the case remains under investigation.
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