Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 08/08/05

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Larry Scoufos

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

CHARGES FILED IN RUGBY INCIDENT

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that his office has filed criminal charges against three men for acts committed by them at a rugby match in Rohnert Park on May 14, 2005.

Epalahame Palu and Uatesoni Kailiahi were charged with felony Assault by Means Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury for the attack on an Alameda rugby coach. Sione Palu has been charged with one misdemeanor count of Battery Against a Sports Official and two misdemeanor counts of Battery. Detectives from the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety arrested the three individuals this afternoon.

The charges are a result of Sione Palu’s attack on a referee during a rugby match in Rohnert Park. When the Alameda coach came to the aid of the referee he was also assaulted by Palu, his brother Epalahame Palu, and Uatesoni Kailiahi. The maximum penalty for the felony assault offense is four years in state prison. The misdemeanor charge of Battery Against a Sports Official carries a maximum sentence of one year in the county jail. The misdemeanor battery offense has a maximum sentence of six months in the county jail.

District Attorney Passalacqua stated, "Violent acts committed by spectators during sporting events have no place in our society and will not be tolerated."