Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On October 5, 2024, Tafuna Police Substation received a call from an individual reporting an alleged peace disturbance and assault.

The defendant was later arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV) with Penalty Enhancement, a class C misdemeanor, but with a penalty enhancement by one class above the class otherwise provided (class B) if found guilty herein; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV) with Penalty Enhancement, a class A misdemeanor, but with a penalty enhancement by one class above the class otherwise provided (class D felony) if found guilty herein.

The defendant’s bail was set at $30,000.

According to the affidavit, on October 5th, at about 3:00 p.m., Litone Esekelo (reporter) contacted the TPS and reported that his nephew, Arona Amituana’i, was disturbing the peace at his residence.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at the scene they made initial contact with the reporter.

According to Esekelo, he heard Amituana’i (defendant) swearing profanities in Samoan and as a result he went over to the defendant’s house, where he discovered him swearing at his father and sister.

The reporter said he intervened and advised the defendant to stop disrespecting his family. However, Amituana’i became more mad and yelled out profanities at him, before walking towards a bus stop nearby the scene, and continued to yell out profanities while two other individuals were waiting for a bus.

Police officers interviewed Amituana’i ’s father (victim #1) and he stated that the situation started because of a cigarette.

He stated that he was resting in his room when the defendant knocked on the door asking for a cigarette. The victim said that he responded to the defendant that “cigarettes are for selling”. He explained that got the defendant angry and he struck him (victim #1) in the face using his fist, and also threw a phone charger and struck his face. Amituana’i began yelling profanities at him in Samoan, and his daughter intervened, but the defendant threatened to beat up his daughter.

According to the victim’s daughter (victim #2), she intervened when she heard Amituana’i ranting at her father and he threatened that she would be next in harm’s way because he claimed she’s always teaming up with victim #1.

Victim #2, claimed that she lashed out at the defendant and told him “to use his brains as a mature person because that’s their father he was disrespecting.”

Amituana’i then threatened her to be careful with her words because he might kill her. Victim #2 stated that she felt scared and feared his threats.

Both victims also stated that this is not the first time the defendant has disturbed the peace at their home and threatened to hurt them. They told the officers that the defendant had been arrested before for the same offense.

Amituana’i was arrested at the scene and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility after he refused to cooperate when he was Mirandized.

The defendant is identified as a 37-year-old U.S National.