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Another man with a machete arrested — this one in Nuuuli

American Samoa District Court building
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 25-year-old man who walked around in his neighborhood with a machete in his hand while yelling out profanities was arrested by police last week.

Ekueta Tauilao made his initial appearance in District Court last week. He was represented by Assistant Public Defender Anna Wells, while prosecuting the case was Assistant Attorney General Jason Mitchell of the Attorney General’s office.

Tauilao is charged with a single count of public peace disturbance. He was released on his own recognizance by Judge Fiti Sunia subject to the usual conditions, including to not make any direct or indirect contact with the victim in his case or any of the government’s witnesses.

According to the court affidavit, it was around 10:21p.m on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018 when the Tafuna Sub-Station received a phone called from an unknown person, asking for police assistance regarding a man who was walking around in their neighborhood in Nuuuli with a machete on his hand.

According to the caller, the man had been engaged in a fight with other men within the Tago area in Nuuuli, and he had now returned with a machete in his hand.

Police officers arrived at the scene and spoke to an individual, who was later identified as the mother of the defendant. She told officers that she wished for her son to be confined. She further stated to police that there would be no peace if her son was not taken in.

Police immediately apprehended Tauilao and was later transported to the Tafuna Sub-Station. Officers detected a strong odor of alcohol on the defendant’s breath.

Tauilao is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 28 for his pretrial conference.