The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker: Watch the original viral video that made Kai famous

There’s no shortage of bizarre and shocking true crime documentaries available to stream on Netflix, and we’re about to add a new one to the list. The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker premieres on Tuesday, Jan. 10, and it’s one you’re going to have to see to believe. The film, directed by Colette Camden (What Do Artists Do All Day?) follows the true story of a young man named Caleb Lawrence McGillvary, otherwise known as Kai. After going viral for saving a pedestrian’s life on the side of the road, Kai’s life turned upside down. He received nationwide media attention, but sadly, the story does not have a happy ending.

If you’re wondering why Kai received such widespread attention, it’s because of how unbelievable what he did actually was. In 2013, he was hitchhiking in Fresno, California and got picked up by a man named Jett Simmons McBride. According to Kai, Jett was saying very erratic and strange things in the car, like claiming to be God and even confessing to heinous crimes. Suddenly, Jett crashed his car into a man walking on the road, and when another person came over the help, Jett got out and started attacking the woman.

Kai, the “Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker” YouTube video

Put in an extremely stressful situation, Kai then started hitting Jett in the head with a hatchet he had in his backpack, ending his attack. At the scene, a local reporter named Jessob Reisbeck caught up with Kai and interviewed him on what went down. The way Kai tells the story is extremely entertaining. See it for yourself:

People across the nation found Kai’s interview to be both hilarious and highly inspirational. Obviously, he did an extremely good deed that day, and everyone wanted a piece of him. Sadly, Kai’s popularity soon came to a close when he was charged with homicide just months later.

The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker takes so many twists and turns and certainly is one to add to your watch list. The documentary comes out on Jan. 10 only on Netflix.