Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man from Vaitogi accused of assaulting his own cousin by striking his head with a full beer bottle and threatening him with knives is now in custody after he was arrested by police.

Levi Toloafa made his initial appearance in District Court last month.

He is charge with 2nd degree assault, a class D felony and 2nd degree property damage, a class A misdemeanor.

Bail is set at $10,000.

THE CASE

On June 27, 2021 at about 1a.m, a woman contacted the Fagatogo Police Station to report that her brother was stabbed with a knife at his cousin’s residence in Vaitogi. The reporter requested police for an immediate response and assistance for her brother. Several police officers responded to the call in Vaitogi.

Officers arrived at the scene and met up with the victim’s father who directed police to where his son (victim) was located. Officers observed the victim sitting on concrete cement crying as blood dripped down his face, and a family member rendered aid.

Officers then interviewed the victim at his parents’ house in Vaitogi who told them that he was hanging out at his cousin’s small concrete shack (family water tank) when Levi Toloafa (defendant) punched him in the face with a fist then grabbed a big (tall) beer bottle (full) and struck him with it. The victim also stated that after he was hit with the beer bottle, the bottle shattered and he blacked out and fell onto the gavel.

When he regained consciousness, the victim saidToloafa punched him with a closed fist several times, and he tried to push Toloafa off of him while Toloafa attempted to hold him down. The victim was finally able to evade Toloafa and he fled on foot heading towards his parents’ residence inVaitogi. The victim told investigators that as he ran for his life, Toloafa pursued him on foot while holding two knives in both of his hands but luckily, he evaded Toloafa and reached his parents’ home.

As the victim got to his parents’ house, he went straight inside and hid in the house as Toloafa walked outside while calling out his name and still holding the two knives.

Toloafa, according to the victim, finally gave up and left — but before leaving the area, he slashed the two rear tires of a vehicle owned by the victim’s parents.

The victim sustained lacerations on his back and on top of his head and scratches on his facial area and was treated at the scene by EMS personnel before he was later transported to the LBJ Medical Hospital for further medical treatment.

The search for the defendant was eventually called off due to the scene being dark and the safety of police officers involved in the search was of concern.

Around 7a.m on the same morning, about 10 police officers proceeded to Vaitogi to locate the defendant. Officers arrived at the defendant’s home in Vaitogi and met up with his brother, who gave officers the consent to go inside their house in an effort to locate Toloafa.

Officers quickly entered the house and found Toloafa inside the house, lying on the sofa with blood stains on his pants and both hands. He also had a puncture wound in his right hand.

Toloafa was immediately apprehended by officers and placed inside a police unit before he was transported to the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) for further investigation. Officers informed the victim’s family that Toloafa was now in police custody and they wanted to know the actual location where the victim was allegedly assaulted by Toloafa.

After locating the crime scene, officers conducted a sweep of the scene and secured it. Investigators observed blood stains on the bench where the victim was allegedly assaulted, including shattered beer bottles lying on the gravel. Photos of the scene were taken for evidence.

Toloafa was transported to the TPS where he received treatment, because he refused to be taken to the LBJ Medical Hospital for medical treatment.

After he was treated, Toloafa was then Mirandized after which he opted to waive his rights and was willing to make a verbal statement but did not wish to provide a written statement.

According to Toloafa he had a verbal argument with his cousin (victim) regarding the victim’s parents accusing him of being a bad influence on their son (victim). Toloafa told investigators that he told the victim to leave his residence at once but the victim refused.

He kept telling the victim that it’s better for him to leave his (Toloafa) house and never come back to him because his parents is accusing him of being a bad example for his future. The victim didn’t listen but continued to stay inside his house.

Out of anger Toloafa stood up and allegedly struck the victim once with a full beer bottle on his head causing injury to the victim’s head. After assaulting his cousin, the victim pushed Toloafa off him and attempted to flee the location but he tried to hold him down to avoid him from running away. However, the victim was able free himself and fled from Toloafa’s house and headed towards his parents’ home.

Toloafa said that when the victim ran, he stood up and went into his mother’s home to bandage his hand that was injured by the bottle of beer he used to hit the victim.

Upon transporting Toloafa to the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF) to be confined, he verbally stated that he changed his mind and wanted to go to the hospital for treatment. Toloafa was admitted to the LBJ medical hospital for further treatment and after being released at LBJ, Toloafa was transported to the TCF where he was booked and confined.