Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Traffic officers called for a  DPS Vice and Narcotics Unit (VNU) officer after drugs were allegedly found inside a vehicle during a traffic stop on the early morning of Sept. 30, 2022.

According to traffic officers, they were patrolling the Leone public highway when they observed a pickup truck travelling at a high rate of speed and swerving from time to time on the road.

Officers followed the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. After the stop, the driver told the cops that he was in a rush because he went to the store and suddenly remembered he forgot to turn off the gas stove. The driver was later identified as Filiki Saumani, the defendant in this case.

The driver further stated that his 4-year-old son was sleeping at the house and he was worried that something might happen to his house and his son. Officers asked the driver to give them the directions to his house so that they could contact another police unit to check on his house.

The driver refused to give officers the directions to his house saying that he doesn’t want anybody to go to his house without him there. Officers explained to the driver that nobody would go inside his house. They only needed the directions so they could check on the house.

During the long conversation with the driver, one of the officers observed 2 cut-up straws on the floor under the passenger’s seat. The driver was alone inside the vehicle.

During the conversation with the driver, officers smelled a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the driver, plus he had blood shot eyes, and slurred speech.

Officers instructed the driver to step out of his vehicle to take the Standardized Field Sobriety (SFS) Test to determine if he is able to continue operating his vehicle.

The defendant failed the SFS Test. He was then patted down for weapons or contraband. During a body search, cops found 3 small stamp-sized baggies containing green leafy substance inside the rear pocket of his pants.

After he was Mirandized, the defendant refused to make a statement.

Seumani made his initial appearance in District Court last month. He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, an unclassified felony, along with DUI and several traffic citations. His bail was set at $6,000 and he is scheduled to appear in Court next week for his PX.

ALIIVAA PIULA

Aliivaa Piula was arrested last month for his involvement in a fight where a man from Tafuna was injured. When cops arrested Piula, drugs were found in his pocket.

Piula made his initial appearance in Court last month. He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine, an unclassified felony, along with one count of 2nd- degree assault and one count of stealing, both class C felony, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine of up to $5,000 or both.

Bail is set at $20,000 and Piula is scheduled to appear in court next week for his preliminary examination.

THE CASE

On the night of Sept. 30, 2022, a woman contacted the TPS to report several men fighting on the road in front of her home in Iliili and she requested police assistance.

Just minutes later the same woman phoned the TPS again stating that the situation had escalated quickly with bottles thrown all over the place and a male was lying on the ground with his face covered in blood.

Several police officers responded and observed a large crowd of people gathered at the area in Tafuna where the fight had broken out. Officers got the matter under control and the injured man was transported to the hospital by EMS for treatment.

 While officers interviewed witnesses, other officers observed two males standing on the other side of the road holding rocks in their hands.

Several witnesses quickly informed officers that one of the two men was Aliiva’a Piula, the defendant in this matter. Piula was apprehended and transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Before Piula was transported to the TPS, he was patted down for weapons or contraband and officers discovered a glass pipe containing white crystalline substance and a small stamp-sized baggie also containing a white crystalline substance inside his pocket.

Two other males, who were at the scene, were also transported to the TPS for further investigation. They were also patted down but no contraband was found in their possession.

Piula was Mirandized and he stated that he agreed to speak to investigators regarding the matter.

According to Piula, he was having a good time with his two friends when the victim approached him and asked for a cigarette. The victim was drunk and and ordered the defendant to give him $20 to pay for a taxi. Piula further stated that the victim also yelled profanities at him and his friend.

He said he grabbed a beer bottle and struck the victim on the head causing him to fall down. Then he kicked the victim in the face as his two friends also jumped in and kicked the victim on the side and stomach.

When questioned about drugs found on him, Piula said he did not know how the meth got inside his pocket. He said he doesn’t remember having any drugs on him during the drinking session with his friends.

The defendant’s two friends were also interviewed and confirmed Piula’s statement.

The two other males are facing assault charges, all misdemeanors. They appeared in Court last month for their initial appearances and were released on their own recognizance to await their next court appearance, which is January next year.