Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On March 22, 2024, a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report that her neighbor allegedly assaulted her.

John Potoa’e was apprehended and later charged with the following:

COUNT 1: Public Peace Disturbance — a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for six (6) months, a fine of $500, or both; and,

COUNT 2: Assault in the Third Degree, class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one (1) year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

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

According to the affidavit, on March 22, at about 9:19 p.m, a woman (later identified as the victim) called the TPS in regards to her neighbor that came to her house violently for no reason. Police officers responded to the matter.

Upon arrival at the scene in Nu’uuli, police officers were approached by a woman (victim) who briefed the officers about what happened.

According to the victim, she said that her cousins and a few family members were hanging out in front of her house when one of their neighbors walked over to their house. The victim stated that the neighbor lives about one house down from them.

She noted that she didn’t know what time the suspect walked over, but she heard someone yelling profanities and saying “You guys don’t belong here. I’m the boss here!”

The victim stated she walked out to tell the suspect to stop his nonsense. He then walked up to her and allegedly punched her, telling her she had no business about the land and that he’s the boss.

She also stated that this isn’t the first time the suspect has done this, and usually does this when he is intoxicated.

Police officers asked the victim about the suspect’s whereabouts and description and she stated that the suspect fled the scene and walked up to the main road.

Officers swept the area but the suspect was nowhere to be found. Police officers then headed back to notify the victim that they couldn’t locate the suspect.

The affidavit also stated that officers were approached by another neighbor who told the officers that the suspect ( identified as John Potoa’e) was throwing (if not rocks it was his beer bottles) at the victim’s house. The neighbor stated that the only reason why Potoa’e acts this way is when he’s drunk.

The witness claimed that when the suspect is drunk he bothers them, damages their properties and yells non stop profanities at them.

The neighbor also stated that they won’t sleep well at night because they’re scared of the suspect because he has a firearm at home.

The search for the suspect that night was unsuccessful.

However, at about 5:12 a.m of March 23, 2024, the suspect was found at his residence and was immediately apprehended. He was placed inside the police unit and transported to the TPS for further investigation.

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