Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On December 3, 2023, at about 3:10am, five male individuals were transported to the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) for the alleged assault of a 22-year-old male identified as Charlie Tago.

In a verbal statement provided by the victim, he said when they parked at the McDonald’s parking lot there was another vehicle parking next to them. “As he jumped out of the vehicle, he hit the suspects’ vehicle with his body because they were parking too close to each other” which allegedly caused the altercation.

Kuoli Fautasi, Tiapula Puni, Vaifanua Peko, Meki Taase, and Jay Matautia were charged with the following:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance - a class B misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for six (6) months, a fine of $500, or both.

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree - a class A misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to one (1) year, a fine of $1000, or both.

All defendants have been ordered to pay a bail of $1000 each.

On December 3, 2023, a witness to an alleged altercation at McDonald’s contacted the TPS seeking assistance regarding a male individual who was being assaulted by five male individuals. Upon arrival at the McDonald’s parking lot, police officers witnessed a male later identified as Fautasi throwing a punch, which caused the victim to fall to the ground, unconscious. Police officers then transported all those involved in the altercation to the TPS for further investigation.

According to the affidavit, the witness who contacted the TPS revealed that “he heard an altercation from next to where he parked so he went there and saw four individuals kicking the victim.” The witness further states that the victim was punched and kicked while he was on the ground, causing minor scratches on his arms and knees. He identified Fautasi as the suspect who punched the victim in the jaw causing him to fall to the ground. He also identified the other four suspects who punched and kicked the victim as he lay unconscious as Puni, Peko, Taase, and Matautia.

After receiving treatment for his injuries by EMS at the TPS, Tago (victim) provided a verbal statement in which he explained that he accidentally hit the suspects’ vehicle “with his body” when he jumped out of his vehicle, “because they were parking too close to each other.”

He claimed that multiple individuals on the truck parked next to him, jumped him. He covered his face and tried to escape but there were too many of them. He further said that “when he finally walked away but still wasn’t stable, another male individual punched him in the jaw and that's when he faded and fell to the ground.”

Fautasi was Mirandized and provided a verbal statement. He stated, “He heard that Charlie Tago was having an altercation with his boys so he approached Charlie and punched him in the jaw.”

Puni was Mirandized but refused to provide a verbal statement regarding the incident.

Peko was Mirandized and provided a verbal statement. He explained “he didn’t do anything. He didn’t have an altercation with Charlie, he was concerned about his vehicle. He told Charlie to watch out for his vehicle but he didn’t touch Charlie.”

Taase was Mirandized, and according to the affidavit, he was heavily intoxicated and barely understood or comprehended any directions that were given to him.

Matautia was Mirandized and no statement was provided.

All five suspects were booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

Fautasi, Puni, Taase, and Matautia are U.S. Nationals, while Peko is a U.S. Citizen.