– Ukiah man attacks family
– Ukiah man steals taxi.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : A shocking incident unfolded in Ukiah on June 24, 2024, when a man identified as Justin Hietala was arrested after a series of violent acts that left a community in fear. The dramatic events included Hietala allegedly wielding a knife at a woman and her children and later carjacking a taxi driver at knifepoint.
The first harrowing encounter occurred at 115 North Orchard Avenue around 9:30 a.m. A 39-year-old woman, accompanied by her two children, was targeted by Hietala in the McDonald’s parking lot. Ukiah Police Department reported that Hietala approached the woman’s vehicle, brandishing a knife and attempting to snatch the car keys through the driver’s side window while shouting obscenities. The quick-thinking woman managed to roll up the window on Hietala’s arms, thwarting the attack. She then drove to a safer location, but Hietala relentlessly pursued her on foot, trying to launch another assault before she managed to drive away to safety.
The victim reported the terrifying incident the next day, leading to a joint effort by the Ukiah Police Department and the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office Investigative Bureau to identify Hietala through video surveillance. The victim positively identified Hietala from a photo lineup, and she received medical treatment for her non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital.
Further investigation uncovered that Hietala was a registered sex offender who had failed to re-register following his release from incarceration on June 4, 2024, for a previous sexual battery conviction. As a result of his failure to comply with registration requirements, Hietala faced a felony violation charge of 290.011PC. A bail enhancement of $1 million was obtained by a UPD officer due to Hietala’s criminal history and the gravity of the recent incidents.
Approximately twenty minutes after the initial attack, at 9:51 a.m., UPD officers responded to another distressing report at 275 South Orchard Avenue, where Hietala had threatened a taxi driver with a knife and stolen a silver Toyota Prius taxi. Hietala menaced to harm the driver before fleeing in the stolen vehicle. Utilizing the FLOCK camera system, UPD tracked the stolen vehicle’s license plate and issued a BOLO alert to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol. CHP officers successfully deployed a spike strip on Southbound Highway 101 at Henry Station Road, bringing the stolen taxi to a halt and arresting Hietala without further incident.
The brave taxi driver positively identified Hietala as the perpetrator, and the stolen Prius was returned to the taxi company. Hietala was subsequently booked into the Mendocino County Jail on multiple charges, including the initial assault, carjacking, and failure to register as a sex offender.
It is essential to note that the charges against Hietala have not been proven in a court of law. In line with the legal principle of the presumption of innocence, any individual accused should be presumed innocent until proven guilty..
Knife-Wielding Ukiah Man Attacks Family Steals Taxi
Ukiah Man Allegedly Attacks Family Steals Taxi.
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