Underage drinking: Teen allegedly in a drinking session with his father

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On December 25, 2023, at about 4:00pm, a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) to report a disturbance in Vaitogi. She alleged that the suspect later identified as Tavita Vaisagote was intoxicated and underage (18-years old).

The defendant was charged with the following:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV) — a class C misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen (15) days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both.

Count 2: Underage Consumption of Alcoholic Beverage — a class B misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for six (6) months, a fine of $500, or both.

Police officers responded to the complaint and met with the woman who called in for assistance. She verbally alleged that “the suspect and his father had a drinking session involving alcohol.” The suspect was upset that his father told him to stop drinking, which caused the suspect to yell out profanities followed by the war cry (faaumu) at the outdoor kitchen (umu).

The matter escalated when the father went to approach the defendant but was tackled to the ground. According to the affidavit, “the father tried to calm the suspect down by slapping him several times with his bare hands.” Because he couldn’t calm his son, he beat him up.

The affidavit further stated that the father of the suspect gave the suspect alcoholic beverages to consume, knowing that the suspect was underage. Police officers were unable to contact the father of the suspect. The woman (reporter) who contacted the TPS claimed that after the father beat up the suspect, he left the scene and could not be found.

Police officers apprehended the defendant and when transporting him to the TPS, they detected a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his breath. He was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to await the next available sitting in District Court.

No further mention was made of the father in the affidavit.

The defendant was identified as a U.S. National.