Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On March 14, 2024, Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) regarding a report of an alleged family dispute in the village of Iliili. A concerned mother reported that her nephew was causing a disturbance and damaged her home property.

Eddie Taulai was 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 $1,000.00 but not less than $150, or both; and,

Count 3: Property Damage in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000 but not less than $150, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

According to the affidavit, on March 14, at about 10:48 pm, FPS contacted TPS to relay information about a disturbance in the village of Iliili — around the Golf Course area.

TPS dispatch received a phone call from the reporter who said her relative was disturbing the peace at her family home in Iliili. It was also discovered that the defendant, who was the reporter’s nephew, damaged the window to her family home while allegedly intoxicated.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival they observed a male individual pinned down on the ground by two male minors. Officers apprehended the defendant and placed him inside the police unit.

Police interviewed the caller/ reporter and she explained that she heard her nephew Eddie Taulai, who had been drinking alcoholic beverages with her son-in-law (victim) by the kitchen, shouting and demanding that her son-in-law give him his personal cell phone, but the victim could not hand it to him because he was talking to his wife.

The victim's mother-in-law said that she approached her nephew and asked him to stop shouting and cursing inside their family home, but he refused to listen and walked outside from their family home.

She recalled that the defendant was angry and started yelling profanities at her son-in-law.

After several attempts to stop the defendant from yelling, the defendant went outside where the victim’s room was located and later threw a beer bottle towards the victim’s room. The window frame was damaged and the glass window was shattered.

Furthermore, the victim’s mother-in-law said that her two younger sons were trying to calm the defendant down when he threw punches at the 15 and 16 year-old minors. As a result, the minors pinned the defendant to the ground and asked her to call the police for help and that’s when she contacted the police for assistance.

The mother added that ever since her nephew flew in from Manu’a to stay with them he’s been causing a lot of trouble in her family.

The police officer interviewed the victim and he verbally stated that the defendant was angry with him because he wouldn’t let him use his cell phone. The victim also explained to the defendant that he was talking to his wife on his phone.

And it was while he was sitting at the kitchen dining table, the defendant punched him behind his back and challenged him to a fist fight. The victim stated he stood up and walked towards his bedroom to calm himself down. When he sat down on his bed, suddenly a glass bottle hit the window of his bedroom, which shattered into pieces and almost hit him.

The defendant was placed inside the police unit and transported to the TPS to be booked.

During the booking process, police officer detected a strong odor of alcohol from the defendant’s breath and observed bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.

The defendant was later transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to await the next sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 25-year-old U.S National.