85-year-old Oregon man helps stop alleged kidnapping attempt, suspect arrested

An 85-year-old Oregon resident heard a caregiver screaming at a rural Medford mobile home park and stepped into what police say was an attempted kidnapping in progress. His intervention gave the 25-year-old woman the opening she needed to reach her vehicle and drive away.

Jackson County authorities say the attack happened on the morning of May 8 in the 3900 block of South Stage Road in rural southeast Medford. Investigators identified the suspect as Matthew Hokulii Aranda, 42, described by police as a Medford-area transient. The Jackson County Grand Jury later returned a 10-count indictment on May 14, with 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.

According to investigators, Aranda allegedly posed as a utility worker and waited near the property for hours before approaching the caregiver. Police say he used a taser or stun device to incapacitate and attack her. When the 85-year-old resident heard the woman’s screams and moved in, Aranda allegedly turned the stun device on him as well. The confrontation disrupted the attack long enough for the caregiver to break free, run for her car, and escape the park.

Authorities say Aranda then chased the woman with a large hunting knife and jumped onto the hood of her vehicle as she tried to get away. Deputies later found him injured and hiding in a nearby bush. He was arrested without incident. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said Oregon State Police, the Medford Police Department and the Jacksonville Police Department all assisted in the response.

The case has the shape of a prevention story, but the timeline is what makes it chilling: a man allegedly watched, waited, posed as a utility worker, then moved on a vulnerable worker with a stun device and knife. The 85-year-old resident did not stop a rumor or a suspicious knock at the door. He heard the danger as it was unfolding, stepped into the middle of it, and changed the ending before police ever got there.