Bond set for shooting of KFC worker; victim is paralyzed, says sister

YOUNGSTOWN — The two people accused of carrying out the armed robbery that left a KFC restaurant manager paralyzed were video arraigned Monday in municipal court.

Bond was set at $1 million for the alleged triggerman, Taran D. Helms, 22, of West Hylda Avenue. He is charged with attempted aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and felonious assault. Bond was set at $10,000 on an unrelated charge of domestic violence.

Hattie L. Gilbert, 20, of East Judson Avenue is charged with attempted aggravated murder and aggravated robbery. Her bond was set at $500,00.

Ashlinn Sykes, 21, of Dogwood Lane is charged with obstructing official business and her bond was set at $25,000. She is accused of providing false information as to Helms’ whereabouts.

The three will be back in court April 7 if the case is not directly presented to a Mahoning County grand jury.

All three were arrested last Friday. Gilbert was arrested at her home after detectives found the Saturn allegedly used in the crime parked behind a vacant house at 701 East Judson. Helms was arrested at his father’s house on Salt Springs Road.

The victim, Joseph Kaluza, 42, of Youngstown was shot in the neck. His sister said he is paralyzed from the neck down and remains at a Cleveland hospital. A fund has been established at Huntington Bank, any branch, to help pay his medical expenses.

Kaluza, a manager at the KFC restaurant on South Avenue, was traveling south on South Avenue about 10 a.m. March 24 when a light blue Saturn cut him off and caused a crash, said Capt. Kenneth Centorame, chief of detectives.