Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place! One California couple decided to hike up a volcano in Hawaii to escape an armed carjacker. The would-be robber held them at gunpoint.
The couple was driving along the Piilani Highway in Maui on June 4 in a Ford Mustang, according to Fox News. That's when they were carjacked.
"While driving, they were followed by a Toyota Tacoma with its headlights off, which they allowed to pass them," police said. "Shortly after, the Tacoma reportedly came to a stop on the roadway, and the male driver exited, pointed a gun at the victims, and told them to get out of their car and start walking."
"The responsible male drove off with the stolen Mustang, and the couple began to walk but then hid behind bushes and boulders on the side of the roadway as the male stopped the Mustang and started driving back toward them," police continued. "The male reportedly returned to the area, calling out to the victims. And asking them if they wanted the car back. He continued calling out and looking for the victims. During which time he fired at least one shot with the pistol, causing the couple to believe he was shooting at them."
Couple Flee Up Volcano
Deciding to flee the area, the couple started hiking towards the summit of the Haleakala volcano. Once they started in that direction, they didn't stop either. They continued hiking until they reached almost the summit of the volcano. "Eventually, nearly 24 hours later, before reaching the summit, the couple was helped by a group of hikers and park rangers to get to the visitor's center," the Maui Police Department said.
Fortunately, the police managed to find the alleged carjacker. They identified him as Christopher Helmer. Police took him into custody four days later without any protest. He was still driving the stolen Mustang.
"At the time of his arrest, Helmer was operating the stolen Mustang and had a loaded firearm," police added. "Following his arrest, further investigation resulted in the recovery of additional evidence linking him to the robbery. And the recovery of the Tacoma, which was found to be a stolen vehicle."
Police are holding Helmer on the $500,000 bond. As far the couple, they're alive and have quite the vacation story, volcano and all.
