Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On December 19, 2024, a female individual contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) requesting assistance regarding her husband who allegedly assaulted her in front of a store.

The suspect was apprehended and later 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; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (As a C. Misd.), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

According to the court affidavit, on Dec. 19th, at approximately 6:23 a.m., a female individual contacted the TPS to report that her husband allegedly assaulted her in front of the Pacific Mini Mart store.

Upon arrival at the scene, the officers observed a male individual with no shirt walking past the GIAS store. The officers dispatched the TPS to get the description of the suspect where it was confirmed that it was the suspect.

The officers apprehended the suspect from the bus stop across from the Argosy building. The suspect had a strong odor of alcoholic beverages emitting from his body and breath. He was handcuffed and placed him inside the police unit.

The officers then went to locate the reporter and the suspect pointed to a blue truck that had just exited Cost-U-Less and flipped off (middle finger) his wife and shouted profanities in Samoan. The vehicle his wife was in was pulled over and the officers informed the victim to come to the TPS for an interview.

Upon arrival at the TPS, both parties were placed in separate rooms. The officers interviewed the victim and she stated that the incident occurred last night and continued until this morning.

She explained that they argued last night because the suspect was intoxicated. The victim stated that she let it slide but the suspect later identified as Stephen Titi continued to argue in the morning when she hid the car keys because she didn’t want him to go to work intoxicated.

Furthermore, the victim explained that her mother dropped her off at work and she didn’t know that the suspect was following her. She stated that he was in one of his co-workers' vehicles following her to work because she took the car keys to his employer’s vehicle.

She continued that the argument continued, which led him to drag her by the neck of her shirt and she tried to hit his hands off by using her bag. She then immediately called the police for assistance but he walked away on the main road yelling and shouting profanities. She waited with her mother and kids for the police to arrive.

The victim sustained minor scratches and injuries and she refused medical treatment.

Stephen Titi was Mirandized to which he understood and agreed to make a statement.

According to the suspect, he was angry at his wife because she left for a party on Monday and did not return until Friday after he told her to stay home. He then got drunk and argued about it which led to him following her this morning to get the car keys from her.

He saw the vehicle his wife was in turning into Cost-U-Less. The victim walked towards the bathroom and he saw a man pull her into the bathroom. He stated he was furious with her in the store where he tried to grab the keys from inside her shirt and she hit him with her bag. He then walked outside and walked away.

The defendant is identified as 31-year-old U.S National.