MEDFORD, Ore. — A Jackson County Grand Jury on Thursday indicted a Medford-area transient on 10 charges stemming from an alleged attempted kidnapping and assault at a rural Medford mobile home park earlier this month.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, 42-year-old Matthew Hokulii Aranda faces multiple felony 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 device, unlawful use of a weapon, and menacing.
Investigators said the incident occurred on the morning of May 8 at a mobile home park in the 3900 block of South Stage Road, where a 25-year-old woman was working as a caregiver.
Authorities allege Aranda posed as a utility worker and waited several hours for the victim before confronting her. During the encounter, investigators say he used a taser to incapacitate and physically attack the woman in an apparent kidnapping attempt.
An 85-year-old resident reportedly heard the victim screaming and intervened, confronting the suspect and allowing the woman an opportunity to escape toward her vehicle.
According to investigators, Aranda then used the taser on the elderly resident and chased the victim while armed with a large hunting knife. The woman was able to reach her vehicle and drive away safely. Authorities said Aranda jumped onto the hood of the vehicle but fell off as the victim fled, suffering injuries during the incident.
Law enforcement officers later located Aranda injured and hiding in a nearby bush, where he was arrested without further incident.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the investigation by the Oregon State Police, Medford Police Department, and Jacksonville Police Department.
Officials said the case remains under investigation and no additional information is being released at this time.
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