WATCH: Kidnapper thwarted by 85-year-old ‘hero,’ officials say
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man was indicted by a Jackson County jury May 14 after posing as a utility worker and attempting to kidnap a woman, authorities said.
On May 8, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said that a victim was working as a caregiver at a Medford area mobile home park when Matthew Hokulii Aranda, 42, posing as a utility worker, used a taser to incapacitate the victim before attacking her.
Authorities said an 85-year-old resident of the mobile home park heard the woman screaming and confronted Aranda, allowing the victim to escape to her car.
Aranda tased the elderly “hero” before attempting to chase the woman with a hunting knife as she drove off, police said.
Officials said that Aranda threw himself on the hood of the woman’s car, injuring himself as he fell off, and she escaped.
Police responded to the scene and said they found Aranda hiding in a nearby bush, where he was arrested.
On Thursday, officials said that Aranda was indicted on 10 charges, including 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 global positioning system, unlawful use of a weapon, and menacing.
The case remains under investigation.