Man arrested after allegedly throwing tools at this his sister while enraged

By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On June 23, 2026, a Faleniu man was charged after allegedly throwing a hammer and other tools at his sister during a heated domestic dispute that prompted police intervention over two consecutive days. The suspect was arrested after allegedly becoming enraged inside his family's residence. He is charged with: Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance, a class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 15 days imprisonment, a fine of up to $300, or both imprisonment and fine; and, Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. The defendant was held without bail. According to the court affidavit, the incident occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m., when police received a report that Epeli Vehikite was causing a disturbance at his family's residence in Faleniu. Responding officers arrived shortly after receiving the call but discovered that the suspect had already fled the area before police reached the home. Officers remained at the residence to interview family members and determine what had occurred. The investigation identified the suspect's father as the reporting party. Officers interviewed the suspect's sister, who was identified as the victim. Sister Describes Violent Outburst According to the victim’s statement, she had been attempting to restore power to the home's air conditioning unit by working on the electrical breaker shortly before the incident. She explained that while working on the breaker she accidentally switched one of the breakers off before immediately turning it back on. After finishing with the breaker, she said she went into the kitchen to prepare pig food. She told investigators that moments later her brother suddenly entered the kitchen in an angry state. Without any warning, Vehikite allegedly began yelling profanities at her and repeatedly called her offensive Samoan names. She said that she asked her brother why he was so angry, hoping to calm the situation and understand what had upset him. However, according to her statement, he refused to explain and instead became even more aggressive. Vehikite then grabbed a hammer and forcefully threw it at her while she was standing in the kitchen. Although the hammer narrowly missed her, the victim told officers it traveled toward her at a high speed before flying out through a nearby window. She said she feared she could have been seriously injured if the hammer had struck her. Investigators later asked the victim to show them where the hammer had landed, but she said she was unable to locate it after searching outside the residence. Police noted in their report that the window involved did not have screen wire or louvers that would have shown obvious signs that a hammer had passed through it. After allegedly throwing the hammer, Vehikite grabbed additional tools and other equipment and continued throwing the objects at his sister. Fortunately, none of the objects struck her, and she did not sustain any physical injuries. Officers also interviewed the suspect's father, who owns the residence where the incident occurred. According to the father, he was elsewhere inside the home when he suddenly heard loud banging noises coming from the kitchen. Concerned by the commotion, he entered the kitchen and observed his son in what he described as an aggravated and highly emotional state. He told investigators that Epeli continued shouting profanities while creating a disturbance inside the home. He asked his son why he was behaving that way, but Epeli ignored the question and continued yelling at his sister. He then ordered his son to leave the residence. However, the suspect allegedly refused to comply. It was only after he contacted police for assistance that Epeli finally left the property before officers arrived. The suspect’s father also informed investigators that the hammer allegedly thrown during the incident likely belonged to him. He described it as a metal hammer measuring approximately 15 inches in length. He further stated that this was not the first time his son had behaved violently inside the family home. He told officers that similar disturbances had occurred in the past and described such behavior as common. He also stated that his son had previously been incarcerated for causing disturbances. After completing interviews with the family members, responding officers searched the surrounding area in an attempt to locate Epeli. However, due to darkness, officers were unable to find him that evening. Before leaving the residence, officers instructed the reporter and the victim to immediately contact police if Epeli returned to the home. The following day, June 24, at approximately 9:11 a.m., the suspect’s father contacted the TPS to report that his son had returned to the residence. Police immediately responded to the call. At approximately 9:26 a.m., officers located and arrested Epeli without incident before transporting him to the TPS for questioning. The defendant was Mirandized upon arrival at the station and acknowledged understanding his rights but declined to provide a statement regarding the allegations. Following processing at the station, Epeli was booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility, where he remained confined pending his initial appearance before the District Court. The defendant is identified as a 32-year-old U.S National. The affidavit was filed in the District Court on June 26, 2026. As with all criminal cases, the allegations outlined in court filings remain accusations at this stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. [Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision.] Section: Local News Tags: court report
2026-07-07 17:50:19