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Nightclub melee ends in alleged assault arrest in parking lot

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ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man accused of assaulting another man outside of a nightclub in the Tafuna area is now in custody after he was arrested by police.

Falamoe Satele made his initial appearance before District Court Judge Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde last month.

Satele is charged with one count of 2nd degree assault, a class D felony, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

Bail is set at $5,000.

THE CASE

The government claims that around 1:43a.m on Sept. 26th, 2021, a man contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report a big fight that had broken out at a nightclub. Several police officers responded to the call.

Ten minutes later around 1:53a.m, the same man contacted the TPS again and reported that the situation had escalated quickly and bottles were being thrown all over the place and the face of a male individual inside the bar was covered with blood and he was lying on the ground. This male individual was later identified as Esau Lefiti.

Officers arrived at the scene and they observed two male individuals who later identified themselves as Falamoe Satele, the defendant in this matter and Lefiti, who was on the ground.

Officers saw Satele with a rock and he allegedly struck Lefiti on the forehead, causing an injury to Lefiti’s head. Officers then subdued Satele who resisted by refusing to comply with officers’s demands.

While officers continued trying to take down Satele, he continued to fight back. Another police officer jumped in to assist his fellow officer as Satele continued to resist while officers were trying to cuff him. The two police officers were also pushed and shoved around by the group of people that surrounded them. The two police officers were outnumbered, therefore, they called for backup to break up the fight.

Satele was later apprehended at the scene, and transported to the TPS for further investigation. However, Lefiti, who was on the ground unconscious, was carried to the truck bed of a police unit and rushed to the EMS compound in Tafuna.

Upon arrival at the EMS base, Lefiti became conscious while being restrained for officers’ safety. Lefiti started causing a scene when EMT’s were rendering aid. He was unable to be treated by EMTs due to his violent behavior at the EMS base.

While cops were trying to calm Lefiti so the EMTs could treat his injuries, he began to shout and grabbed one of the officers by the collar of his uniform and challenged the officer to a fight while EMS personnel were standing next to the officer. Lefiti was then transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Lefiti was then treated by EMS personnel of his injuries upon arrival at the TPS. Several attempts were made by EMTs to strongly advise Lefiti to be transported to LBJ Medical Hospital for further treatment due to the seriousness of his injuries but Lefiti refused. However, he later agreed and was transported to LBJ Hospital for further treatment.

While waiting for the doctor to arrive, Lefiti resisted and hit his head against the wall at the hospital continuing to yell profanities, which alarmed other patients. He was later treated for his injuries and officers were informed by the doctor that Lefiti suffered a major laceration on his forehead. Lefiti also suffered a laceration on top of his right eye from another incident that occurred at the TPS while his girlfriend was trying to calm him down to cooperate with the EMTs to treat him.

After being treated, Lefiti was then transported to the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF) for confinement to await the next sitting of the District Court.

Lefiti is facing misdemeanor charges and his next court appearance is next month.