American Samoa's Vice Speaker Laolagi Savali Vaeao has been been placed on six months probation and ordered to undergo anger management counseling.
The sentence was handed down by Judge John Ward after Laolagi pleaded no contest to a charge of disturbing the peace .
The charge arose from an incident in Nuuuli last month when a woman alleged that Laolagi after nearly running her over at a cross walk, choked her and pressed her mouth.
In court, Laolagi said if he could turn back time, he would have handled the situation differently.
He said as a lawmaker, paramount chief, former teacher, a husband and father of four he should set a good example.
