Man arrested for allegedly trying to steal car part from neighbor’s vehicle

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On July 16, 2025, a woman contacted the Leone Police Substation (LPS) and reported an alleged disturbance in Leone regarding a man threatening to kill their family.

The suspect was later apprehended and 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; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed five years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $10,000.

According to the court records, on July 16th, around 10:16 a.m., a woman called the LPS and reported a man who was allegedly causing a disturbance at their residence. Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at the scene, they met with an unknown man (later identified as the victim), where upon he briefed the officers regarding the incident.

According to the victim’s statement, his daughter ran to him and informed that a man (suspect) was standing near a car in their old garage and lifting up the hood of the car. He went to see what was happening and he saw the suspect lying under the car and trying to take out a car part from the vehicle.

He asked the suspect what he was doing and the suspect told him he was removing his vehicle’s car part. The suspect then stood up and he saw it was their neighbor’s son — Sirus Rhodes.

The victim continued that the suspect punched his right eye, causing swelling and an abrasion. They got into a fight and Rhodes ran away and yelled out threatening remarks at him and his family. The victim alleged that the suspect threatened to come back and cut him and his family into pieces. Moreover, the suspect threatened to burn down their home.

After the victim’s interview, the officers interviewed the witness, the victim’s daughter, who supported her father’s explanation of the incident, adding that her father asked Rhodes nicely about what he was doing. However, the suspect yelled profanities at him and punched him with a stone he was holding in his hand.

She said her father told the suspect he was going to contact the police and the suspect started a fight with him. Rhodes ran away and threatened to come back and burn their house down after cutting them up with a machete.

Rhodes was later located at his home near the victim’s home. He was informed of the said matter and was told that he would be taken into the LPS for further investigation.

Upon arrival at LPS, Rhodes was Mirandized to which he understood and agreed to make a statement.

According to the suspect, he claimed that “it was the victim who came and asked him questions and then picked a fight with him.” Rhodes also denied punching the victim with a stone. He did admit that he went to check out the victim’s vehicle — if it had the same part as his vehicle at home.

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 21-year-old U.S National.