Two men charged with assault, one assaulted a minor, while other resisted arrest

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On April 5, 2025, the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) received a call regarding a disturbance between several individuals. The altercation caused harm to a minor who attempted to stop the fight.

Two individuals were later arrested and charged.

Potoa’e Tuloli was charged with Count 1: Assault in the Third Degree, a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both.

There was no bail set for Tuloli.

Siaosi Ualotu was charged with:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both imprisonment and fine;

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree, a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both; and,

Count 3: Resisting Arrest, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

Ualotu’s bail was set at $1,000.

According to the court affidavit, on Apr. 5th, at approximately 8:51 p.m., FPS received a request for assistance from a resident of Pago Pago. He reported that there was an ongoing altercation at his residence and sought help to address the situation.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at the scene, they met up with a man by the name of Potoa’e Tuloli (defendant #2), who reported the incident.

Potoa’e explained that he was having dinner with his wife, his brother and sister in-law and they were discussing family matters, when his brother’s stepson, Pati (also known as Siaosi Ualotu, defendant #1) came into the house and interrupted them.

Pati began instructing others regarding their behavior and what he deemed appropriate conduct.

Potoa’e claimed he suggested to Pati (Ualotu) to get some rest as he appeared to be intoxicated and could benefit from calming down. He then proposed that they continue their conversation the following day, however, Pati refused and responded by yelling profanities in Samoan continuously.

His brother intervened in an attempt to de-escalate the situation but Pati left the house and picked up a rock and attempted to throw it at him.

In response to Pati’s continued aggression, Potoa’e stated that he approached him and struck him in the face. After landing his punch, he lost his footing on the grass and fell, hitting his head on the ground. Upon regaining his balance and feeling disoriented, he inadvertently threw another punch which unfortunately struck another individual (not Pati).

The individual was a young boy who was trying to mediate the conflict. At that moment, bystanders told him that he had mistakenly hit someone else.

After interviewing Potoa’e, a lady approached the officers and Potoa’e in an agitated manner. She confronted Potoa’e, claiming that he had assaulted her 17-year-old son who had tried to stop the fight.

The officers intervened and separated the defendant and the agitated mother.

During the time the officers interviewed both parties, they heard loud noises coming from a short distance. A group of individuals were seen intervening to prevent two individuals from engaging in a physical altercation. As the officers approached to assess the situation, they discovered that one of the individuals was identified as Pati (Ualotu) and the other was the minor’s (victim) father.

Authorities attempted to apprehend Pati but he reacted with unexpected resistance. The officers tried to secure him but Pati violently yanked his hands away, evading capture. He also stiffened his limbs, making it difficult for the officers to get a hold on him.

Then, in a desperate bid for freedom, Pati tried to run away, fiercely shoving one of the officers aside in the process. The struggle between Pati and the officer became increasingly tense with Pati determined to escape and the officer focused on bringing him into custody.

Pati was eventually apprehended and escorted to the police unit along with Potoa’e to be transported to the FPS for booking.

The officers also interviewed the minor’s father and he claimed that Pati entered their home and began yelling at him. When he attempted to confront him and get him  out of his house, Pati refused to leave. In response, the father stood up and pushed Pati outside while approaching him in a hostile manner. However, his family intervened and prevented the situation from escalating until the officers arrived.

Both Pati and Potoa’e were booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.