Assault suspect arrested after allegedly resisting police officers
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On October 29, 2024, a minor contacted the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) to report that her uncle allegedly assaulted her aunt and then chased them out of the house.
The suspect resisted arrest but was later apprehended, arrested and charged with:
Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both;
Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both; and,
Count 3: Resisting Arrest, a class misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.
The defendant’s bail was set at $2,000.
(Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identities of the victim and minors involved in this case.)
According to the affidavit, an investigation disclosed on October 29th, at unknown hours, the suspect assaulted his wife. The suspect allegedly scratched the victim’s face, attempted to break her toes using his hand, and also pushed the victim outside the door. The suspect also attempted to hit the victim with a wooden chair after pushing the victim outside. It was reported that there were no visible injuries on the victim’s face.
On October 29th, at about 8:46 p.m., a minor contacted the TPS to report that her aunt was allegedly assaulted by her husband (suspect). The reporter stated over the phone that her uncle chased his wife outside the house along with her and her siblings.
The minor was able to provide the names of the victim and the suspect over the phone.
The police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at the scene at about 8:55 p.m., observed four people standing outside the house. There were three minors including the victim.
The officers interviewed the victim where she briefed them regarding the assault.During the interview of the victim, she verbally stated, her husband came by her workplace and saw her and one of her male co-workers inside their work car at the EOB building.
The victim said that when she got home, her husband was already consuming alcohol. When they were inside the room and were about to sleep, her husband asked what she was doing inside the car with her co-worker which she refused to answer back because her husband was drunk.
Moreover, the victim stated that the suspect insisted and continued to ask. She then replied back that her co-worker is her boss and they were on the way to their other cleaning job.
The victim stated that the suspect reached out from where he was sitting and scratched her face. He then attempted to break her toes by grabbing and squeezing them very hard. The victim stated that she got up from the bed and made her way outside the bedroom to the living room. She was then pushed outside the front door of the house and the suspect attempted to hit her with a wooden chair.
Furthermore, the suspect called his nieces who were inside their bedroom to get out of the house along with his wife. It was noted that this has been an ongoing issue in their household.
The officers also interviewed the minor (reporter) at the scene in the presence of her aunt (victim).
According to the minor, she and her two sisters were inside their room when she heard her aunt and uncle arguing inside their room. The minor explained that she heard her aunt screaming from their room and it sounded like she needed help. She also stated she heard her uncle yelling profanities in Samoan that whole evening.
The affidavit also stated that the minor and her siblings witnessed when the suspect pushed the victim outside of the front door and tried to hit the victim with the wooden chair.
The police officers proceeded inside the house to where the suspect was. He was apprehended from his bedroom where he refused to comply and used physical force to resist arrest. The officers attempted to place handcuffs on him because he did not want to leave the house. The suspect was placed inside the police unit and was later transported to TPS for further investigation.
It was also reported that the officers detected alcohol emitting from the suspect’s breath.
At about 9:22 p.m., the suspect was Mirandized and agreed to answer questions. The suspect also requested a medical check up. The suspect was given the opportunity to explain what had happened earlier.
According to the suspect, he did not hit his wife and was not yelling profanities at the house. The suspect did admit to drinking eight cans of beer earlier in the evening.
The EMS arrived later and conducted their assessment as requested by the suspect.
The suspect was then booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility awaiting the next available sitting of the District Court.
The defendant is identified as a 61-year-old citizen of Samoa.