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Man who allegedly beat up wife charged
The Superior Court has found probable cause to warrant the filing of charges against a 57-year-old man accused of beating up his wife, cutting off her hair, and damaging door louvers, two vehicles, and other items at their home in Kagman 3.
At a preliminary hearing on Thursday, probable cause was found to charge Simeon Selepeo Fitial of burglary, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, criminal mischief, and disturbing the peace.
At the preliminary hearing, assistant attorney general Heather Barcinas, counsel for the government, called to the witness stand police detective Myron Laniyo.
Assistant public defender Nancy Dominski served as counsel for Fitial.
After the hearing, the defendant was remanded into the custody of the Department of Corrections. He failed to post a cash bail of $20,000.
Arraignment will be on June 5 at 9am.
When a police officer responded to the house, he saw the victim with bruises on her mouth and inner lower lip. The victim told police that Fitial grabbed her mouth and tried to pull her teeth out.
Laniyo stated in his report that when a police officer responded to the couple’s house last May 13 at 10:08pm, he observed damage on the windows of a van that was parked next to the house’s door.
Fitial allegedly admitted causing the damage.
The officer handcuffed Fitial and brought him to his patrol car. The officer, who requested for medics and interviewed the injured victim, later observed damage to the front and rear windshields of another vehicle that was parked at the eastern part of the house.
The officer learned that Fitial damaged an Acer computer and over 30 louvers in two bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom.
The victim told police that she was getting ready to sleep that night when Fitial yelled outside and threatened to kill her.
She said Fitial got mad at her because of her plan to attend a fiesta and that she did not invite him.
Fitial managed to forcibly open the back door and once inside, started breaking items and beating her up.
Fitial then tried to exit the back door of the house when a police officer arrived. (Ferdie de la Torre)
