Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 19, 2025, a man contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and reported that a 64-year-old woman was hit by a vehicle.

The suspect, who later walked into the police station on his own volition, was charged with:

Count 1: Careless Driving with Injuries, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: General Duty - Driver, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both.

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

Court records disclosed that on Aug 19th, at approximately 12:36 p.m., a man (the reporter) called the TPS and reported an accident involving a pedestrian in Puapua, Leone.

Authorities responded to the call, but upon arrival at the scene of the accident, no one was there. The officers observed blood on the road, and a bystander gave them the vehicle plate for the vehicle that struck the pedestrian. The bystander also informed the officers that the pedestrian was transported to meet the EMS.

The officers proceeded to look for the vehicle that had allegedly hit the pedestrian and then taken her to meet up with the EMS, but were unsuccessful.

However, they did meet up with the EMS across from ASCC, and the EMS driver told them that the car had left and was heading to the police station.

Later, the responding officers received a transmission via police radio that the driver at fault had walked into the Leone Police Substation (LPS). The police proceeded to LPS and questioned the driver.

The officers later identified the driver as Tafiti Jr. Leiataua from Leone.

According to Leiataua, a Dial-A-Ride bus had stopped at the stop sign at the Puapua intersection and dropped off a woman. As the Dial-A-Ride bus left, his vehicle approached the stop sign while he was looking at the west side for incoming cars. At that time, he felt his truck “went on something” and someone at the bus stop yelled at him to stop his vehicle.

He then exited his car, panicked and observed an elderly woman under it. A lot of people then came to lift up the front part of his vehicle to remove the victim from under it. He quickly transported the victim to meet up with the EMS, who had been on their way.

At about 4:12 p.m., the officers arrived at the LBJ Hospital to conduct a follow-up with the victim. The victim was identified as a 64-year-old female from Vailoa. The officers later met up with the attending physician, who informed them that the victim sustained a laceration on her head along with abrasions on her stomach, a deep wound on her left calf, and another deep wound on her left foot, which required stitches. A C.A.T. scan also showed three fractured bones on the victim’s left pelvis.

The affidavit was filed in District Court on September 9, 2025. It doesn’t indicate if Leiataua was arrested for the incident.

The defendant is identified as a 53-year-old man.