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The 12 charges were dismissed without incident by Second Judicial District Court Judge Christopher Dunn in Wailuku on June 24, according to the county clerk’s office. A new case against Helmer was filed in district court on June 25. Case information is redacted and not publicly available, according to court documents.

Helmer remains in Wailuku police custody as of the morning of June 28 on previous felony charges. Helmer made his first appearance in District Court on the morning of June 28. The case was transferred to a lower court than the Second District Court for trial.

Alex and Justina Lucero issued a public statement on their band’s social media platforms on June 19 regarding the alleged incidents, as confirmed by Maui News in a conversation with Alex Lucero on June 28: “Hi,

My wife and I were robbed at gunpoint on the Piilani Highway (Manawainui Gulch) at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4th while driving our rental car back from Hana to our hotel in Kihei.

The robber jumped in front of our car, pointed a gun at us and yelled at us to get out of the car, leave all valuables and keys behind and go back in the opposite direction.

He jumped into our car, started it up, drove off, then quickly turned around and accelerated to pursue us. We took cover behind a boulder on the ocean side of the highway, out of sight. As he slowly drove past, he shouted “Show yourself, I will find you”. He counted down from 10 and then fired the gun. At this point we knew that we were not only victims of a traffic robbery, but that we were now being hunted and he was trying to get rid of the witnesses.

He turned the car around and drove in the direction he had initially held us at gunpoint. When he made a U-turn and drove back in our direction, we ran across the road, climbed a cliff and started hiking up the mountainside. As we ran for our lives up the mountain, we kept looking back and at one point three vehicles tried to find us as we slowly drove along the same half-mile stretch of highway. At one point they launched a drone but luckily for us they were facing the ocean side of the highway and apparently didn’t expect us to ever cross the road.

After hiking for our lives all night, morning, and the next day, we stopped three tourists walking along the access road to the Haleakala Observatory around 6:30 p.m. We hiked about 11 miles for nearly 24 hours, from nearly sea level to the summit at 10,000 feet. We were rescued by the park rangers, who radioed the police to pick us up at headquarters down the road.

We were taken into police custody and taken to the emergency room where we were held overnight with severe dehydration and high Rabdo (myolysis) levels. We managed to catch our flight the next day and are now safely back home in California.

Christopher Helmer was arrested by the Maui Police Department and was the shooter/criminal responsible for this crime. He was arrested on a criminal record and has warrants out for his arrest while driving our rental car.

We want this story to be told not to gain exposure for ourselves, but because it has not appeared in any of the media/news channels, social media, etc.… and we hope that this story can prevent someone else from having to go through the horrific experience we had to go through.”

According to court documents, prior to the June 4 incident with the Luceros, Helmer also made terrorist threats against Kekoa Lansford and Kalani Gonsalves on June 3 using a Glock .40 caliber rifle.

Hana residents were confused and concerned about the news of the incident, which occurred on June 3 and 4, after the stories circulated on social media over the past two weeks.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE

“We recently stopped our tours on this site,” said a tour guide who wished to remain anonymous. He was leading a tour group on the road to Hana. “It’s become too dangerous because of the drugs and everything that’s happening on this side.”

“I saw it on the news today and this is the first time I’ve heard of it,” Edele told The Maui News on June 27. Adele is an employee at the Hasegawa General Store in Hana. “When I saw it on the news this morning, I thought: Did this happen recently?”

Adele said: “Now it’s really unsafe. It’s been worse with the people who live in this area. It’s so isolated, even more isolated than Hana. They can do anything and the police aren’t there.”

She added that police presence in the area where the incident occurred needs to be increased now that the story has come to light.

“After everything that has happened, the police must increase their presence,” Said Adele. “They’re here, but you don’t really see them patrolling. I think you should see them patrolling all the way to Kaupo, wherever the road ends. And then from Hana to Ke’Anae. You should see a (patrol) car on the road every now and then, but you don’t.”

Willie is the manager of the Hasegawa General Store. She found out about the incident on Facebook the night before.

“I haven’t heard anything except through Facebook,” Said Willie, who runs the only general store within a 40-mile radius in Hana. “A friend who lived here in Hana sent me the site it came from… My question was, when did this happen? Is this old stuff or new stuff?”

Willie admits that the incident has frightened residents in the area.

“Yeah, it’s scary, but I don’t even recognize this guy” Said Willie. “I’ve seen his picture, but I don’t know who he is.”

Most residents of the Hana area and the communities south of Hana maintain very close contact. The Hasegawa General Store is a regular destination for most residents of the area. According to the employee there, such incidents are becoming more and more frequent.

Down the road from Hasegawa General Store is Hana Farms roadside restaurant, a popular stop for tourists and locals after traveling the Road to Hana.

Asa-praise works at the Hana Farms gift shop. As a local, she also learned about the incident via Facebook.

“I was confused,” Asa spoke about the incidents that occurred between June 3 and 4. “When it came on the news, it was crazy. I didn’t even meet the guy they caught… A lot of people go in the front entrance and don’t come in the back entrance.”

Willie’s niece Lora, who was a customer at the general store, heard that such things had happened recently.

“We have heard stories that this kind of thing happens again and again,” Said Lora, who also works at the general store. “People are stopped in the middle of the street, they’re forced off the road, they’re held at gunpoint. Things like that.”

“We heard someone driving so close behind us,” Said Willie. “And they came home to Hana and the car was braking and trying to run them off the road and stuff like that, but we didn’t know this guy.”

POLICE RESPONSE

As of press time, Maui Police did not respond to The Maui News’ request for comment on the incident, despite multiple inquiries.

On June 7, the MPD posted a request for public support on its Facebook page, asking for “the public’s assistance in locating the man pictured, as he was seeking under outstanding arrest warrants.” Three days after the incident, a mugshot of Helmer was published in the post, but the alleged car theft was not publicly mentioned.

A PROFESSIONAL CRIMINAL

Helmer faces numerous charges in Maui County dating back to his time as a minor in 2006. Helmer pleaded guilty to kidnapping, sexual assault, robbery and terroristic threats. According to court documents, Helmer was sentenced to 8 years in prison by Judge Joseph Cardoza after a jury trial.

Helmer was charged with several traffic violations from 2014 to 2016 until he was charged and convicted of aggravated assault by Judge Blaine Kobayahi in February 2016. In April 2016, Helmer was charged and convicted of making terroristic threats. According to court records, Helmer was released in May 2016.

On Aug. 24, 2016, Helmer’s then-girlfriend was five months pregnant with twins when she and Helmer got into an argument at a Lanai City apartment building, Assistant District Attorney David Mincavage told The Maui News in 2019. After punching her in the cheek, Helmer put her in a chokehold, causing her to become dizzy and nearly lose consciousness before he let her go, Mincavage said.

The prosecution, the defense and the then 2nd District Court Judge Richard Bissen agreed to give Helmer probation despite his long criminal history. He had to successfully complete a drug treatment program, eventually relapsed and turned himself in.

At the time, Helmer’s lawyer Jon Apo said it was “One of the most extraordinary agreements I have ever been involved in.”