Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On October 25, 2025, a woman called the police station and reported that her husband allegedly assaulted her after he had spent a night out at the bar.

The suspect was later charged with:

Count 1: Assault in the First Degree (DV), a class B felony punishable by a term of imprisonment for not less than five years and not more than 15 years;

Count 2: Felonious Restraint (DV), a class C felony punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed seven years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both;

Count 3: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both; and,

Count 4: Endangering the Welfare of a Child (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

(Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identities of the minors and the victim in this case.)

Court records reveal that on Oct 25th, a man (the suspect) allegedly physically assaulted his wife (the victim) by punching her in her left shoulder multiple times with a closed fist, yanking her hair, which caused pain in her neck, and choking her twice, causing her to struggle to breathe.

The investigation revealed that the incident occurred in the couple’s vehicle while they were heading home from a bar.

The victim reportedly was unable to speak after being choked and assaulted.

The report alleges that in desperation the victim tried to roll down the window and scream for help, hoping someone would hear her. The suspect was allegedly driving recklessly while under the influence of alcohol and sped through traffic at a dangerous speed. The victim was able to eventually contacted the police for assistance.

At around 10:30 p.m., the officers responded to the call and observed a woman (victim/ reporter) standing in front of her house with a teenager (witness) who was crying and in distress. The victim informed the officers that the suspect had already fled the scene and had taken their 10-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter while intoxicated.

The officers issued an alert for the suspect’s car while both the victim and her teenage daughter were transported to the LPS for further investigation. Upon arrival at the station, the victim was interviewed regarding the incident.

The victim stated that she and her husband were drinking at a bar that night and having fun. However, her husband became suspicious and accused her of inappropriate behavior towards other men. She further stated that her husband thought that she was having an affair with someone else that night.

It was on their way home, she said that they started arguing, and suddenly the suspect began assaulting her. He then pulled over to the side of the road and began strangling her, making it difficult for her to breathe. The victim claimed that her husband punched her in between choking her.

She explained that as the suspect was strangling her with one hand, she tried to roll down the window and scream for help. She stated that she was crying, shaken, and in fear all the way home because the suspect was driving recklessly and speeding dangerously.

The victim later informed the officers that this is an ongoing matter.

She refused EMS assistance.

The witness was also interviewed and stated she didn’t see what happened between her parents inside the car. She only witnessed her mom exit the vehicle in distress and sobbing. She stepped outside her room and saw her parents still arguing in front of the house while her father grabbed her 10-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister and left in the car. She stated that her mother pleaded for her dad to stay, but he sped away on the main road while intoxicated.

After interviewing both parties, the officers attempted to locate the suspect but were unsuccessful. The following day, the suspect remained at large and was considered dangerous.

A follow-up investigation revealed that the suspect dropped off the children.

The defendant is identified as a 43-year-old citizen of Samoa.