Happy Valley PPD arrest yields drugs

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man was taken into custody after police picked him up for a public peace disturbance (PPD) matter in Happy Valley in the Tafuna area. During his arrest, cops discovered drugs in his possession.

Tomasi Opetaia who has a previous assault conviction from 2015, made his initial appearance in court.

Opetaia is charged with second-degree assault and unlawful possession of marijuana, both felonies; and two misdemeanors — PPD and third-degree assault.

Bail is set at $5,000.

THE CASE

Cops responded to a public peace disturbance in Happy Valley, Tafuna, after a woman contacted police for assistance, regarding an intoxicated man yelling profanities at her husband.

Police arrived and spoke to the caller who told them that it was around 6:21p.m when her husband came to pick her up, along with her children, in front of her husband’s parent’s house, when the confrontation occurred. According to the wife, her husband did not throw any punches during the assault.

Opetaia was apprehended outside of his truck and transported to the TPS for questioning.

When interviewed, Opetaia said that he assaulted the victim for blocking the road. He said it was the victim’s fault, and went on to describe an incident that had happened one hour prior to the current confrontation, where the victim’s vehicle had blocked his truck from leaving the parking lot of a store in Malaeimi. He said he waited for over an hour for the victim to come out and remove his vehicle.

The defendant also stated that the victim, during the confrontation had grabbed his neck and told him that he would kill him and his family if he bothered him again.

During his arrest, cops discovered a small stamp sized baggie inside his pants right pocket containing green leafy substance.

When questioned about the green leafy substance found in his possession, Opetaia told investigators that it was marijuana leaves he bought from another man for his own personal use.