Man allegedly punched girlfriend

A man was arrested and charged with assault and battery and disturbing the peace for allegedly punching his girlfriend in the face after he became jealous as she was singing and dancing while they were drinking. 

Superior Court Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio imposed yesterday a $2,000 cash bail on Marco Selepeo Fitial, 41, who is charged with assault and battery and disturbing the peace.

The victim told police that she and Fitial were celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday all through Monday and were drinking. The police said that Fitial got very jealous because the victim was singing and dancing. “…He was so mad that he punched her and when she saw her nose bleed, she ran away and called for help from the…neighbors.”

Separately, a man called the police on Monday reporting the disturbance in Chalan Kanoa. When police got there, two men pointed toward a blue Artman trash bin repeatedly saying, “There’s the lady.”

According to court documents, the caller informed police that he was fixing his washer when he heard a woman calling out, “Brother, brother, I need help,” so he walked out of his house and saw a woman with a swollen face. He said she asked him to call the police and then sat by the trash bin, like she was hiding from someone.

When the officer got to the scene, she saw the woman stand up from behind the trash bin and he approached her. It was then that the officer saw that “her entire left cheek [was] swollen with bruising on it” and there was “dried blood inside her nose.” 

The victim repeatedly said, “I need help” and appeared to be scared. According to court documents, she then looked back at the officer and held her swollen face and asked, “Can you help me? Help me. Drop me in San Antonio.” 

The next day, officers went to check on the victim at her residence where it was observed that “the left area of [the victim’s] face appeared to be purple in color from the eye extending downwards by the nose towards the left side of her lips. Her left cheek also appeared to be swollen as it was bigger than the right side of her face.” 

It was learned from the victim that she has been in a relationship with Fitial for one year and that she said he is always very jealous.

The victim further said that Fitial has been hitting her and the last time was about two months ago when he slapped her and she called police. However, when police arrived, she withdrew her complaint and sent them away.

She then requested for a temporary restraining order but she “always goes back to him because she really loves him, but no longer wants to see him.”

Fitial’s preliminary hearing is set for May 18, at 10am.