Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Mark Leota was arrested for allegedly causing property damage after his wife told him to get out. Mr. Leota was allegedly intoxicated.

He is charged with one count of Property Damage in the Second Degree (DV) — a class A misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1000 but not less than $150 or both.

Bail for the defendant is set at $1000.

On December 14, 2023, at about 5:50pm, a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report that her intoxicated husband allegedly broke about seven “slide” windows at her residence in Aoloau. Estimated cost of property damages is $400 per window, according to the affidavit.

Upon arrival at the scene, police officers were briefed by the victim who explained that the suspect was not on the property, however she had seen his vehicle parked at his friend’s house in Mapusaga. She presented the officers with photos that she took on her personal cell phone of the broken windows. Officers requested that the victim go to the TPS to file a report and provide her statement.

In her statement, the victim claimed that her husband called her while she was at work to let her know that he was at home. She told him to “grab all his belongings and leave her house.”

She further explained that her husband hung up on her and a few minutes later she received a call from her sister. The victim’s sister said that she heard glass shattering from the victim’s house.

After work, the victim went home and saw the broken windows and immediately contacted the TPS to file a report.

The suspect was apprehended at his friend’s house in Mapusaga and transported to the TPS for further investigation.

The defendant was Mirandized and refused to make a statement or answer questions.

He was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to await the next sitting of the court.

The defendant is identified as a citizen of Samoa.