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DUIs and PPDs still clogging up the District Court

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FREDDY SATUALA
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 35-year-old man accused of disturbing the peace at a local restaurant in town was arrested and charged with public peace disturbance (PPD).

Lafaele Know denied the charge against him when he appeared before District Court Judge Fiti Sunia for his initial appearance. Sunia released Know on his own recognizance subject to certain conditions, including staying away from the restaurant where the alleged PPD took place.

According to the government’s case, the incident was reported to the Fagatogo Police Station by employees of the restaurant, who requested assistance regarding a male who was intoxicated and out of control.

Employees told police that Know was making unreasonable noises, and using abusive and obscene language which caused the customers to become disturbed.

As police officers interviewed the employees, Know was sitting at the entrance to the restaurant. As he was being escorted by police to the police unit, the defendant yelled in a loud voice, profane words in Samoan to one of the witnesses.

FREDDY SATUALA

A 41-year-old man from Tafuna was arrested last week for driving under the influence (DUI) and also driving while his license is suspended.

Freddy Satuala made his initial appearance in District Court this week. He is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and resisting arrest, both class A misdemeanors.

According to the prosecutor, Assistant Attorney General Jason Mitchell, the government is planning to file an additional charge against Satuala next week: driving while license is suspended, a class D felony.

Judge Fiti Sunia established Satuala’s bail at $500.

If he posts bond, the court has ordered that he remain law abiding, not to leave or attempt to leave the territory, and he has to surrender his travel documents to the government’s attorney. He is also ordered not to make any direct or indirect contact with all the government’s witnesses.

The government claims that on Oct. 12, 2018 at baround 9:23p.m, an incident involving a vehicle occurred in Tafuna. Several officers responded; however, when cops arrived at the scene, the driver of the other vehicle that was involved in the incident had fled the scene.

Police found out a few moments later that the driver of the vehicle that allegedly caused the incident was Freddy Satuala, the defendant in this case.

Satuala was apprehended by police and escorted to the Tafuna Substation for further questioning. He resisted arrest when officers first tried to cuff him; but he later complied.

Satuala admitted to police that he was intoxicated and his license was suspended for 6 months after he was convicted of DUI sometime this year.

Satuala is scheduled to appear in court next week.