Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On July 18, 2024, a traffic stop resulted in the arrest of 2 male individuals — one charged with drinking and driving (DUI), the other with drinking in a prohibited place (vehicle while moving).

The suspects’ vehicle also hit the police unit and both men were arrested and charged separately:

Ropati Simati was charged with:

Count 1: Underage Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for six months, a fine of $500, or both; and,

Count 2: Prohibited Place of Consumption, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for six months, a fine of $500, or both.

Simati’s bail was set at $300.

Pea Timasa was charged with Count 1: Prohibited Place of Consumption, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for six months, a fine of $500, or both.

Timasa’s bail was set at $200.

According to the affidavit, on July 18th, at about 8:10 p.m, traffic police officers were conducting a routine inspection on Iliili Public Highway and observed a vehicle slowing down near a restaurant.

Police officers activated the siren to pull the vehicle over near the Sunny Ma restaurant. When conducting the traffic stop, the vehicle was not parked properly — where it reversed and struck the police unit. Police officers then approached the driver to check if he was okay and asked him for his driver’s license.

When the officer was interacting with the driver, he observed an opened can of beer under the passenger’s seat. The officer then asked the two male individuals who were later identified as Pea Taimasa and Ropati Simiti about two (2) open cans of beer and they admitted that it was theirs.

The officers asked them to step out of the vehicle and placed handcuffs on them and escorted them both to the police unit to be transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Upon arrival at the TPS, police officers Mirandized both defendants where they refused to provide statements regarding the matter.

When processing booking forms of the two individuals, police officers found out that Ropati Simiti was under the age of 21, the legal age to consume alcohol in the territory.

Both defendants were booked and confined to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await their initial appearance at the District Court.

The defendants are identified as Ropati Simiti, a 20-year-old, and Pea Taimasa is 22 years old. Both are citizens of Samoa.