Five American tourists were arrested after a fight that began at the Nassau Cruise Port and later continued at a police station, leaving four officers injured, as reported by Our News Bahamas.
Bahamian police said the group consisting of three women and two men were taken into custody after officers responded to the fight shortly after 4:45 p.m. on Monday, June 8.
The violence did not end at the port. The five tourists were taken to the Tourism Police Station, where officers prepared to search them, but another fight broke out. During the struggle, one of the women threw a chair through a glass door and a man kicked out the remaining glass and tried to flee.
Four officers were injured in the struggle, including one who suffered a serious shoulder injury and was taken to the hospital. The other officers were treated for less serious injuries, including bruises and a mouth laceration. Police also said the five Americans received medical attention for minor injuries.
Footage obtained by Our News Bahamas shows both incidents:
According to The Tribune, the tourists pleaded guilty to charges that included assaulting a police officer, fighting in a public place, resisting arrest, malicious damage, and disorderly behavior. The group was collectively fined $47,350 and required to compensate the injured officers a total of $5,375.
The Tribune reported that six Americans pleaded guilty, although initial police-based reporting stated only five were arrested. The names and fines for each defendant are as follows:
- Daniella Duran, 22, was fined $16,600 and must compensate the Bahamian officers a total of $2,625.
- Gabriella Aguilar, 27, and Jaeyln Duran, 19, were each fined $11,600 and must each compensate the Bahamian officers $125.
- Irvin Castro, 26, was fined $2,800 and must compensate the Bahamian officers $2,500.
- Andrew Tapia, 21, was fined $4,600.
- Jose Duran, 50, was fined $150.
The group was given the choice of paying fines or facing jail time of up to a year for some of the defendants. Tourists paying fines to avoid jail time is a common practice in The Bahamas, typically for marijuana charges where tourists pay fines of a few thousand dollars to avoid months in jail.
The charges against the American tourists were much more serious, and they deservedly faced hefty fines for their conduct, unlike the typical cash-grab fines imposed for petty marijuana charges.
Police did not identify the cruise ship or the cruise line they were traveling with. Some accounts speculate that the passengers must have been from a Carnival Cruise Line ship whereas some blogs have contained eye-witness accounts pointing to Royal Caribbean and/or highlighted that the physical altercation began near the water shuttle area serving Royal Caribbean’s new Paradise Island Beach Club.
Local news reported the group missed their cruise ship’s departure after the arrests.
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Image credit: Video – Our News via Scott Sanfilippo: Quintin Soloviev / Wikimedia Commons.