Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — An affidavit was received by the District Court on November 11, 2025, in support for the arrest and order to appear of Samuel Tuinaola for Assault in the Third Degree (DV) that allegedly occurred on Nov 5, 2025.

The suspect was arrested and later charged with Count 1 — Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor — punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine not to exceed $500, or both imprisonment and fine.

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

Court records reveal that on Nov 5th, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Leone Police Station (LPS) received a call from an off-duty officer (later identified as the reporter) stating that she was passing-by and allegedly saw a couple fighting in front of Fa’asao Marist and the man was striking the woman.

The investigation later revealed that the suspect, Samuelu Tauinaola, had struck his wife/ partner (the victim).

Police officers responded to the call and arrived at the scene and observed a woman crying and crouching by the brick wall in front of the Fa’asao Marist. The woman was holding a dark grey T-shirt to her mouth, with a man looming over her.

One of the officers approached Mr. Tauinaola while the other officer approached the victim.

The victim was observed with a bleeding upper right corner of her lip, with tears streaming down her face, and she also had a dark grey shirt against her mouth to stop the bleeding. Aid was rendered immediately, and the victim was taken to the LPS for further investigation.

Tauinaola was immediately apprehended without incident and transported to the LPS for booking and further investigation.

Upon arrival at the station, the victim was interviewed.

According to the victim’s statement, she and her boyfriend went to Western Union in Puapua to pick up money sent by her daughter. As they exited the building and waited for a bus, they met some people who knew her and asked her for cigarettes. She gave them cigarettes, which angered the suspect.The victim stated that her partner was mad because she kept giving out their cigarettes. As a result, they got into a heated verbal argument, and she stormed away, attempting to walk home.

However, the suspect kept calling out to her and was livid when she didn’t stop. The suspect eventually caught up to her by the Fa’asao Marist brick wall, and slapped her. She stumbled backwards from the force of the slap and scratched her upper right cheekbone on the brick wall.

The victim continued to explain that they then got into another argument, and Tauinaola slapped her again while she shielded her face with her hands, with the force of the slap causing her hand which wore a ring to strike her upper lip, causing it to bleed profusely.

She said that the suspect noticed the situation and calmed down, and took off his shirt to help stop the bleeding, while she sobbed uncontrollably.

The affidavit also noted that Tauinaola has been reported for the same behavior before.

The suspect was later Mirandized, to which he understood and refused to make a statement.

He was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility until the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 38-year-old U.S national.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court.]