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 several 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 "satisfaction ourselves on protecting and spreading consciousness on the attractive waters we get to call dwelling," was shot just 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 passed them and expressed our disagreement, we have been ignored and so they 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 boat popping balloons into the ocean. NBC 6's Jamie Guirola experiences

Miami-Dade Police stated Wednesday night that they arrested one man and handed out 9 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 accountability to guard our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez mentioned in an announcement. "I am extraordinarily proud of 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 may suggest to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram stories, saying he was not accountable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I need to put my coronary heart out and say how essential it's to guard our environment," he said.

Cloud Nine, an occasion planning firm, additionally deflected duty in an announcement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor adorned the boat and left. We adorned the pier, finished the proposal, and cleaned up like we always do. We are by no means in control of removing balloon decorations," the assertion learn partially.

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

"I was fairly upset about it, this is our bay, this is our livelihood," Bruna stated. "I used to be right here when they have been setting them up and then initially I did not actually suppose much of it but I guess because the day was finished and so they started popping away and letting all of them go into the water I was shocked."

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

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

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee stated balloons may be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can result in inner injury, starvation, and death.

Balloon releases have been illegal in Florida since 1989.