A California couple found themselves in a harrowing situation when they encountered an armed carjacker on the Piilani Highway in Maui, Hawaii. The 29-year-old female and 31-year-old male victims were driving a rented Ford Mustang when a Toyota Tacoma began following them with its headlights off.
According to the Maui Police Department, the male driver of the Tacoma stopped the vehicle, pointed a gun at the couple, and demanded they exit their car and start walking. The carjacker then drove off with the stolen Mustang, leaving the victims stranded on the roadside.
Fearing for their safety, the couple hid behind bushes and boulders as the carjacker returned, calling out to them and firing at least one shot with his pistol. Believing they were being targeted, the couple made a daring decision to hike towards the summit area of the Haleakala volcano.
After nearly 24 hours of trekking, the couple was assisted by a group of hikers and park rangers who guided them to the visitor's center. Meanwhile, the alleged carjacker, identified as Christopher Helmer, 35, was apprehended four days later while operating the stolen Mustang with a loaded firearm in his possession.
Further investigation led to the recovery of additional evidence linking Helmer to the robbery and the retrieval of the stolen Tacoma. Helmer now faces charges of robbery and carrying a loaded firearm on a public highway, with bail set at $500,000.
