Man arrested for allegedly assaulting his father

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On November 14, 2025, a concerned family member called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and reported a man who allegedly assaulted his 65-year-old father.

The suspect was later arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV) with Penalty Enhancement, a class C misdemeanor, but with penalty enhancement to one class above the class otherwise provided, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both imprisonment and fine;

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV with Penalty Enhancement, a class A misdemeanor, but with penalty enhancement to one class above class otherwise provided, a class D felony punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed five years, a fine not more than $5,000, or both; and,

Count 3: Abuse of an Elderly Person (DV) with a Penalty Enhancement, a class C felony, but with a penalty enhancement to one class above the class otherwise provided, a class B felony punishable by a term of imprisonment not less than five years and not more than 15 years, a fine not less than $150, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

According to the court affidavit, filed in District Court on Nov. 21, 2025 that on Nov. 14th, at approximately 7:22 p.m., a man (later identified as the reporter) called the TPS reporting that his brother (the victim) was injured after being allegedly assaulted.

The reporter stated that the incident happened the night before at their house in Faleniu while he was asleep.

Police were dispatched to the call and, upon arrival at the scene, made contact with the reporter on the road leading to his home. When the officers arrived at the home, they interviewed the reporter.

The reporter stated that the incident occurred the previous night, around midnight, while he was asleep. He claimed that his brother (the victim) asked the suspect (the victim’s son) to keep the noise down because it was late and people were sleeping.

The suspect responded by choking his father (victim)with his hands and beating him with a ½ inch PVC pipe. The suspect also punched his father everywhere on his body.

After the reporter’s interview, the officers interviewed the suspect. The suspect stated that his anger started when a guy threw their house with rocks at around 7:20 p.m. He denied beating up his father and claimed that the victim fell and hit his head on the corner of the bed.

The officers requested the EMS to assess the victim’s injuries, but he refused treatment.

The victim gave a written statement, which stated that his son (suspect), Afega Uaita, choked him, beat him with a PVC pipe, and punched him everywhere on his body.

The officers observed minor scratches on the victim’s right forearm and face, including near the right eye. The victim showed the officers his other injuries, which included his left bruised eye, and his eye was red inside. The victim also had a minor cut inside his mouth.

The suspect was apprehended and transported to the TPS for further investigation. The suspect was disruptive and yelled inside the police unit.

Upon arrival at the station, he was Mirandized, to which he understood and agreed to provide a statement.

When questioned about the incident, the suspect stuck to his previous statement that he did not beat up his father. He claimed that the victim fell and hit his head on the corner of the bed.

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

The defendant is identified as a 27-year-old U.S national.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court. ra]