Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 7, 2025, a man walked into the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) and reported a vehicle incident which allegedly involved three victims.

A suspect was later charged with:

Count 1: Reckless Driving With Injuries, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not to exceed one year, a fine of not more than $1,000, or both;

Count 2: Reckless Driving Operator Responsibility, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not to exceed six months, a fine of not more than $500, or both; and,

Count 3: Vehicle Loads, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not to exceed six months, a fine of not more than $500, or both.

There is no bail or arrest mentioned in the affidavit.

According to the court affidavit, on Jan. 7th, at approximately 11:03 a.m., a man (later identified as the reporter/ victim #1) walked into the FPS to report a one vehicle accident that happened near the government shipyard compound in Satala on Jan. 6th.

An investigation into the incident began on the same day.

Police began by contacting the reporter/ victim #1 to meet with them at the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS), which led to officers being able to observe victim #1’s alleged injuries from the accident. Victim #1 was observed with gauze and tape on his forehead, right elbow, left hip and his left knee.

The victim verbally stated that he and two other men were injured from a vehicle accident in front of the shipyard compound in Satala.

The victim described the incident, saying that after a staff meeting called by their CEP, they prepared their equipment to take and head back to Fagatogo to finish a task given to them. Their supervisor, Iakopo Sione (later identified as the suspect) drove the flatbed and initiated an exit at the front gate (of the Satala shipyard), while another victim sat on a blue bucket without any barriers.

After they exited, victim #1 stated that the suspect accelerated the flat bed at a high rate of unknown speed causing them (three of them) to fall from the rear bed of the vehicle onto the Satala highway.

Victim #1 continued that there was also equipment such as a welding machine and a pallet jack that fell from the flatbed, as the items had not been completely secured before the vehicle entered the highway.

All three of the victims were rushed to the hospital for immediate treatment:

Victim #1 sustained a laceration on his forehead, scratches on his right elbow and left hip and a deep abrasion on his left knee;

Victim #2 sustained abrasions on his lower back and left elbow with pain from the neck area along his whole body; and

There was no contact with victim #3 as he is currently on medical leave.

The suspect, Sione was cited on Jan. 8th with three counts of violation.

Sione is identified as a 55-year-old man.