Arrest Made in Balloon Littering Investigation at Coconut Grove Marina – NBC 6 South Florida

A person has been arrested after cellphone video captured what gave the impression to be several boaters popping balloons and letting the trash fall into the water near a Coconut Grove marina on Tuesday.

The video posted by MMG Outboard Division, a gaggle who says they "pleasure ourselves on defending and spreading awareness on the attractive waters we get to name house," was shot just after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Touchdown Marina.

Two individuals onboard the boat are seen popping balloons and letting them fall into the water.

"As we passed them and expressed our disagreement, we had been ignored they usually continued popping away with no care on this planet," the group posted of their message.

Miami-Dade police have made an arrest after cellphone video surfaced of individuals on a ship popping balloons into the ocean. NBC 6's Jamie Guirola studies

Miami-Dade Police mentioned Wednesday night time that they arrested one man and handed out nine civil citations.

The man was recognized as 29-year-old David Torres-Bocanegra. He was charged with reckless disregard for the environment.

“As a neighborhood, we share the duty to protect the environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez stated in a press release. "I am extraordinarily pleased with our Illegal Dumping Unit, for his or her thorough investigation and swift conclusion to this case."

David Torres-Bocanegra

Tom Rivas, who rented the boat so he may suggest to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram stories, saying he was not answerable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I wish to put my heart out and say how important it is to guard our surroundings," he stated.

Cloud Nine, an event planning company, additionally deflected duty in a press release on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor decorated the boat and left. We decorated the pier, completed the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We are never in control of removing balloon decorations," the assertion read partly.

Esteban Bruna, a yacht broker, shot the cellphone video.

"I was fairly upset about it, this is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna mentioned. "I was right here after they have been setting them up and then initially I did not actually assume a lot of it however I suppose because the day was done and so they began popping away and letting all of them go into the water I used to be shocked."

One witness stated the balloons may have been part of a wedding proposal. Bruna stated he confronted the people.

"I discussed to them,' are you guys serious, is that this something you're going to do proper now?' [They] sort of just blew me off, ignored me," Bruna stated. "It was horrifying to see what they were doing to the marine life and the waterways by simply dumping all of those balloons into the water."

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee said balloons may be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can lead to internal harm, hunger, and dying.

Balloon releases have been illegal in Florida since 1989.