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

A person has been arrested after cellphone video captured what seemed 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 "satisfaction ourselves on defending and spreading consciousness on the gorgeous waters we get to call home," was shot just after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Landing Marina.

Two folks 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 the earth," the group posted of their message.

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

Miami-Dade Police mentioned Wednesday night that they arrested one man and handed out 9 civil citations.

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

“As a community, we share the responsibility to guard the environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez said in an announcement. "I am extraordinarily happy 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 stories, saying he was not chargeable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I want to put my coronary heart out and say how vital it's to protect the environment," he mentioned.

Cloud Nine, an event planning firm, additionally deflected responsibility in an announcement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor embellished the boat and left. We decorated the pier, completed the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We are by no means in charge 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 stated. "I used to be right here once they had been setting them up after which initially I didn't really think much of it but I guess because the day was executed and so they started popping away and letting them all go into the water I was shocked."

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

"I mentioned to them,' are you guys severe, is this one thing you are going to do proper now?' [They] sort of simply blew me off, ignored me," Bruna said. "It was horrifying to see what they had been 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 Commission mentioned balloons may be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and different marine animals, and if eaten, can result in inner damage, starvation, and death.

Balloon releases have been illegal in Florida since 1989.