Man held on $500,000 bail after horrific incident; visiting couple tells police of car theft in remote Haleakalā area: Maui Now

A 35-year-old suspect is being held on $500,000 bail after a California couple reported a harrowing incident to police. They said their car was stolen on a remote stretch of the Piʻilani Highway and they fled on foot to the summit of Haleakalā to save their lives.

The incident reportedly occurred on June 4 around 7 p.m. as the couple – a 29-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man – were driving on Piʻilani Highway near mile markers 28-38, returning to K.Ihei of Hāna while driving a rented Ford Mustang. During the trip, the couple was followed by a Toyota Tacoma with its headlights off, which they let pass, according to police. Shortly afterward, the Tacoma reportedly came to a stop on the road, and the male driver got out, pointed a gun at the victims and ordered them to get out of their car and run, police said

The alleged perpetrator drove away in the stolen Mustang, and the couple began walking but then hid behind bushes and boulders on the side of the road. They then noticed the Mustang coming toward them again. The man reportedly returned to the area, calling out to the victims and asking them if they wanted the car back.

“He continued to call out and search for the victims, firing at least one shot from the handgun, causing the couple to believe he was going to shoot them. Additional individuals arrived in the area and the victims believed these individuals were helping to search for them, including using a drone,” Maui Police said.

The couple later emerged from hiding and began hiking toward the summit area of ​​Haleakalā. Eventually, nearly 24 hours later, before the couple reached the summit, they were guided to the visitor center by a group of hikers and park rangers, police said.

Further investigations later identified the person responsible as 35-year-old Christopher Helmer.

A task force comprised of Maui Police Vice, SWAT, Patrol, and Criminal Investigation officers conducted an operation to locate and arrest Helmer between June 6 and June 8, 2024. On June 8, 2024, shortly before 3 p.m., Helmer was located and arrested without incident.

According to police, Helmer was driving the stolen Mustang at the time of his arrest and was carrying a loaded firearm. After his arrest, police said, further investigations found more evidence linking him to the robbery and seized the Tacoma, which turned out to be a stolen vehicle.

On June 21, 2024, Helmer was indicted by a Maui County grand jury on the following offenses:

• Robbery in the first degree
• Unauthorized control of a powered vehicle in the first degree
• Carrying or using a firearm in the commission of a separate crime
• Ownership/possession prohibited
• Storage location for the pistol
• Carrying or possessing a loaded firearm on public roads
• Change of identification marks
• Advertising for a dangerous drug of the third degree

According to the latest reports on Thursday afternoon, he was still in custody.

The involvement of other people and the use of a drone to search for the victims have not yet been confirmed or verified. However, investigations into this and the involvement of other people are ongoing.

“We thank the community for their valuable support and cooperation during this investigation,” police said in a statement. “We want to assure our residents and visitors that they can take comfort in the fact that this individual no longer poses a threat to public safety. Protecting the well-being of our citizens and visitors remains our top priority and we will continue our efforts to ensure their safety,” police said.