Bus driver calls police over allegedly drunk passenger

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 16, 2025, a bus driver called the Tafuna Police Substation and reported a passenger who was allegedly intoxicated and causing a disturbance on his bus.

The suspect was 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: Resisting Arrest, 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 16th, at around 2:40 p.m., a man (reporter/ victim) contacted the TPS to report a man (suspect) who was allegedly intoxicated and causing a disturbance inside his bus. The victim informed the police that he had passengers inside his bus, and he was concerned for their safety.

Police officers responded to the call and pulled the victim’s bus over in the Tafuna area. The officers made contact with the victim, who identified the suspect, who was seated on the floor and making unreasonable noises. Passengers were inside the bus.

The officers immediately approached the suspect, later identified as Siamupini Tanielu, and informed him of the allegations against him.

The officers escorted him off the bus as he continued to make noises. The suspect was apprehended and placed inside the police unit. Authorities reported that the suspect had a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his breath and body.

During apprehension, Mr. Tanielu continued to cause a disturbance and confronted the officers, challenging them while yelling out profanities.

Upon arrival at the station, Tanielu continued acting in an abusive manner and threatened to kill one of the responding officers.

He was booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

During an interview, the victim further stated that the suspect had been making unreasonable noises on their way from Fagaalu to Tafuna. He said that he informed Mose about his unacceptable behavior, particularly in the presence of passengers on the bus. However, while dropping off some of the passengers in Ottoville, the suspect continued to exhibit unruly behavior, disturbing the passengers.

The victim explained that out of fear of getting physically assaulted by Mose, he did not want to confront him.

The defendant is identified as a 43-year-old citizen of Samoa.