Man allegedly throws propane tank at his wife as she’s trying to escape

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 3, 2025, a woman called the Leone Police Substation (LPS) requesting assistance after her husband allegedly assaulted her.

The suspect was later arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

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

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

According to the court affidavit, on August 3rd, at around 5:16 p.m., LPS received a call regarding a domestic dispute where a woman (the victim) reported that her husband (the suspect) was allegedly causing a disturbance by yelling profanities while her one-year-old son was sleeping. The victim also alleged that she was assaulted and dragged by her hair by the suspect. The suspect also attempted to throw a propane gas tank at her.

Authorities responded immediately, and upon arrival at the location, they met up with a woman who identified herself as the victim. The victim was asked about the suspect's whereabouts, and she panicked and pointed out that he was inside the living room.

As the officers walked towards the front door of their living room, the suspect approached them and demanded to know what was going on. The officers apprehended the suspect and placed him inside the police unit, where he was transported to the LPS for further investigation.

The victim was also advised to come to the police station to write a statement regarding the said matter.

Upon arrival at the station, the victim was escorted inside for an interview. According to the victim, her husband was sleeping while she was outside hanging their laundry. She claimed that her brother called her from outside the house and asked if he could cook his food at her home because he didn’t have any money for gas. She gave her brother permission and scooped him some of their food while her husband was still asleep.

However, when her husband woke up, he accused her of cheating. The victim stated that her husband “yelled and cussed at her while she was trying to explain that her brother was asking her for help”. But, he continued to pull her hair and then dragged her outside of her house and told her that he wasn’t sleeping, and claimed that he saw everything on his phone from the house camera.

The victim continued that as the suspect continued to pull her hair and drag her everywhere, she pushed him, and they both fell on the ground.

She was able to flee from her husband, and she ran across the patio. Her husband grabbed the propane gas tank and threw it at her, but missed.

The victim stated that she wanted to go back inside her home because her one-year-old son was sleeping. As she walked back to her house, she saw her husband walking towards her brother’s house, so she contacted the police for assistance.

The victim told the officers that “this was the first time that her husband had ever laid his hands on her”.

She claimed that her husband had changed a lot when he left his job while she worked to support their family. She further stated that they were staying at her parents' house and that the suspect had been breaking valuable items inside their home.

At the LPS, the suspect was Mirandized and agreed to provide a statement.

The suspect claimed that he was mad because his wife’s brother was at their house without him knowing. He also noted that his wife was talking to her brother and laughing and joking about him while he was sleeping.

The suspect admitted that he dragged his wife by the hair and confronted her about everything he saw on the home camera.

During the suspect’s interrogation, he was informed that his wife’s brother came over to the house to ask his sister for help.

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

The suspect is identified as a 35-year-old citizen of Samoa.