Man faces criminal charge after popping balloon

Popping a helium balloon outside a Williamsburg apartment complex last week earned a Georgia man a misdemeanor destruction of property charge. Justin R. Bridges, 21, of Cumming, was arrested on Sept. 2, nearly eight hours after the incident.

Maj. Greg Riley with Williamsburg police said officers were called to the apartment complex earlier that day for a report of damage to a balloon sculpture. The sculpture, which stands at the entrance to Quarterpath Place Apartments, was estimated to cost between $350 and $500, according to a criminal complaint against Bridges.



The property manager said the display was "ruined as a result of the popped balloon." Shortly after 2pm a witness said she saw a man, later identified as Bridges, pop one of the balloons in the display. She told police Bridges exclaimed, "I just popped that balloon! I just popped that (expletive)!"

The witness then confronted Bridges, who responded "Don't judge me." Bridges and the woman he was with walked off toward the nearby Clarion Hotel and the witness lost sight of them. Bridges was arrested at around 10pm after being found hiding in a bathroom at the hotel and transported to Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail.