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

A man 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 near a Coconut Grove marina on Tuesday.

The video posted by MMG Outboard Division, a bunch who says they "pride ourselves on defending and spreading consciousness on the beautiful waters we get to name residence," 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 and they continued popping away with no care in the world," the group posted in 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 reviews

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

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

“As a neighborhood, we share the duty to protect our environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez mentioned in an announcement. "I am extraordinarily happy 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 might suggest to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram stories, saying he was not responsible for the balloon popping.

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

Cloud 9, an occasion planning firm, also deflected responsibility in a press release on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor embellished the boat and left. We decorated the pier, finished the proposal, and cleaned up like we always do. We are never in control of eradicating balloon decorations," the statement learn partly.

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

"I was fairly upset about it, this is our bay, this is our livelihood," Bruna stated. "I used to be here when they were setting them up after which initially I didn't really suppose much of it but I assume as the day was completed and so they started popping away and letting all of them go into the water I was shocked."

One witness mentioned the balloons might have been part of a marriage proposal. Bruna stated he confronted the folks.

"I discussed to them,' are you guys critical, is that this something you're going to do right now?' [They] form 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 mentioned balloons can be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and different marine animals, and if eaten, can result in inside injury, starvation, and dying.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.