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

A person has been arrested after cellphone video captured what appeared to be a number of boaters popping balloons and letting the trash fall into the water close to a Coconut Grove marina on Tuesday.

The video posted by MMG Outboard Division, a bunch who says they "pleasure ourselves on defending and spreading consciousness on the beautiful waters we get to name residence," was shot simply after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Touchdown Marina.

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

"As we handed them and expressed our disagreement, we were ignored they usually continued popping away with no care on the 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 reviews

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

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

“As a group, we share the accountability to protect our environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez mentioned in an announcement. "I am extraordinarily pleased with our Unlawful 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 could suggest to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram tales, saying he was not answerable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I need to put my coronary heart out and say how necessary it's to guard the environment," he mentioned.

Cloud 9, an occasion planning firm, also deflected duty in a statement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor embellished the boat and left. We embellished the pier, completed the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We're by no means in charge of removing balloon decorations," the assertion learn in part.

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

"I was pretty upset about it, this is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna mentioned. "I was here after they had been setting them up and then initially I didn't actually think much of it however I guess as the day was executed and so they began popping away and letting all of them go into the water I was shocked."

One witness stated the balloons could have been part of a wedding proposal. Bruna said he confronted the folks.

"I mentioned to them,' are you guys critical, is that this something you are going to do right now?' [They] kind of simply blew me off, ignored me," Bruna mentioned. "It was horrifying to see what they have been doing to the marine life and the waterways by simply dumping all of these balloons into the water."

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee said balloons could be mistaken for food by sea turtles and different marine animals, and if eaten, can result in inner injury, hunger, and loss of life.

Balloon releases have been illegal in Florida since 1989.