Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On September 3, 2025, a woman walked into the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) and reported that she was allegedly assaulted by her boyfriend inside her car and had managed to escape.

The suspect was 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 of up to $1,000, or both imprisonment and fine;

Count 2: False Imprisonment (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both;

Count 3: Property Damage in the Second Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both;

Count 4: Property Damage in the Third Degree (DV), a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to $500, or both; and,

Count 5: Stealing, a class C felony punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed seven years, a fine of not more than $5,000. or an amount equal to twice the amount of gain from the commission of the crime up to a maximum of $20,000, or both imprisonment and fine.

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

According to the court affidavit, on Sept 3rd, at around 10:10 a.m., a woman walked into the FPS to report that her boyfriend, Daniel Tanielu (suspect), had assaulted her — he allegedly punched and strangled her in her own vehicle. The victim also informed the authorities that the suspect damaged the windshield of her car.

During the victim’s interview by officers, they noticed red marks across the victim’s neck and a minor bump on her upper lip. The victim alleged that the injuries were caused by the suspect during the assault.

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were contacted for treatment. However, when the EMS arrived, she refused to be treated.

According to the victim’s written statement, she went to work needing supplies for her classroom. She stated that she planned to head over to Manu’a’s store to get supplies, but she stopped by the suspect’s house because he needed help with his clearance for his new job. When the suspect got into her car, he started arguing with her and accused her of cheating on him. When they got behind the Lee Auditorium in Utulei, the suspect punched the windshield, cracking it.

The victim explained that she cried and urged Tanielu to calm down, but his anger escalated. He then hopped outside, came to her side, and started to strangle her using his hands. The victim continued that she was gasping for air and almost passed out while the suspect was yelling at her and asking, “Who are you talking to?” Tanielu proceeded to grab her phone, which was in the middle of the cup holder, and threw it to the ground, damaging the phone beyond repair.

The victim said that the suspect continued to yell at her and told her that “he doesn’t care about the police or her dad”. Tanielu told her that he was going to beat her up because she was giving him a headache. She pleaded with the suspect to calm down, but he continued to threaten her, until she found a chance to escape.

The victim reported that when the suspect released her door, she quickly drove away, with the suspect chasing after her car. She went straight to her father because she was scared for her life.

The officers canvassed the area to try to locate the suspect, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

The report does not indicate when the suspect was arrested or detained.

The suspect is identified as a 22-year-old U.S national.