American tourist alleges assault by jet ski operator during night out in Bahamas

Bahamas: A 25-year-old American tourist, Briana Bazel, said that she was punched in the face after rejecting a sexual advance from a watersports’ operator during a night out in New Providence, Bahamas.

Bazel stated that the man approached her outside a bar on Palm Tree Avenue after asking her to step outside due to the loud music. She told the police that the man told her that he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her.

The victim said that she refused and was trying to go away, but he punched her in the face, bruising her lips. She stated that the man and another individual later left in a blue Honda Fit. Some of her personal items were still inside the car, according to Bazel.

According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, another Bahamian man assisted Bazel and her friend after the alleged assault and drove them to the Grove Police Station.

Bazel said she reported the incident to the police. Police confirmed that the complaint was made and the matter remains under investigation.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force issued a wanted notice on Sunday of a 20-year-old male wanted for inflicting bodily harm. Bazel claimed to have identified the individual named in the wanted notice as the one who allegedly assaulted her.

She said that she first met the man on September 10th at Goodman’s Bay Beach. She and her friend had rented jet skis from him. Bazel said that the watersports operator and another man picked them up from an eatery near Bay Street.

According to Bazel, the watersports man referred to the other man as his cousin while she knew him as a taxi driver. The group later went to a bar in Central New Providence, where Bazel claims the sexual assault took place.

Police investigation into the case remains ongoing.