Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 31, 2024, a villager contacted the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) regarding a male individual allegedly causing a disturbance by yelling profanities and the Samoan war cry (fa’aumu) in their village.

The defendant was arrested and charged with Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both.

There was no bail stated in the affidavit for the defendant.

According to the affidavit, on August 31st, at about 7:05 p.m, the FPS received a call from a resident of Alao requesting assistance. The caller alleged that a drunken male individual was causing a disturbance in their village.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at about 7:35 p.m. near a family residence in the village, an unknown female approached them and identified herself as the defendant’s wife.

According to the defendant’s wife, nothing happened and it’s just that her husband got mad at her for telling him to go shower and stop drinking. She also stated that her husband, Ropati Taupo had left their house with their 3-year-old child.

After interviewing the defendant’s wife, another unknown female individual arrived and stated that her father was waiting for them at the cricket field in front of the village.

The officers went to the cricket field and upon arrival an unknown male called out to the officers that the defendant was about to run away. One of the officers located the defendant and fortunately the defendant approached the officers.

The defendant was told that he would be taken to the police station for further investigation in the matter.

Another witness also reported to the officers that Taupo was causing a disturbance in the village by yelling profanities and the Samoan war cry (fa’aumu) which alarmed the villagers.

Upon arrival at the FPS at about 9:27 p.m., the defendant was identified as Ropati Esera Taupo.

Taupo was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 28-year-old citizen of Samoa.

AVETONU UALOTU

On September 7, 2024, a female individual contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) claiming that her nephew was causing a disturbance.

The defendant was apprehended and charged with:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for six months, a fine of $500, or both; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (As a C Misd.), punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both.

The affidavit did not state a bail for the defendant.

According to the affidavit, on September 7th, at about 11:43 p.m, a female individual contacted TPS pertaining to her nephew — Avetonu Ualotu — who was allegedly disturbing the peace. The defendant was allegedly yelling profanities in Samoan at his uncle.

Police officers answered the call and upon arrival, they observed the defendant sitting in front of his house. The defendant was apprehended while other officers conducted a field interview with the witnesses and the reporter.

According to the reporter (defendant’s aunt), the defendant yelled profanities in Samoan at the victim (his uncle). The suspect then entered his car, turned it on and was burning rubber with his pickup truck. She stated that it was the screeching of the car tires that alarmed them.

The aunt continued that the defendant then exited his vehicle and walked towards the victim. She said she saw Avetonu getting too close to the victim and that was when she went to try and calm them both down.

At about 12:18 a.m., the defendant was taken to the TPS and was Mirandized.

The affidavit stated that the officers interviewed the defendant at the TPS.

According to Mr. Ualotu, he drove back home from the bingo, and saw that his neighbor’s car was not parked right and it was unusual. He continued to explain that he then went and parked in front of their house.

Ualotu also claimed that “the old guy (victim) got angry at him and his daughter also went and grabbed a broom stick and tried to stab him.”

As a result, he (Ualotu) got angry and yelled at them. Ualotu also said that the daughter (victim’s daughter) went and moved the car back to where they usually park and that’s when the police arrived.

Avetonu Ualotu was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The next day, Sept. 8th, at about 12:13 a.m, the officers interviewed the victim. According to the victim, the defendant was angry at how he parked his vehicle.

He said the defendant approached him yelling and was trying to incite a fight. The victim said he asked the defendant why he was yelling, but the defendant just continued to walk towards him.

A witness, the victim’s daughter, was also interviewed, and she stated that when hearing the yelling of profanities coming from outside their house, she was shocked to see the defendant approaching her father (victim) and trying to fight with him. The witness stated that she was scared for her father’s safety.

The defendant is identified as a 46-year-old U.S National, and the victim is identified as a 64-year-old citizen of Samoa.