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 protecting and spreading consciousness on the attractive waters we get to call residence," was shot just after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Landing Marina.

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

"As we handed them and expressed our disagreement, we had been ignored they usually continued popping away with no care on the earth," 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 experiences

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

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

“As a community, we share the duty to guard our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez said in a statement. "I'm extraordinarily proud of our Unlawful Dumping Unit, for their thorough investigation and swift conclusion to this case."

David Torres-Bocanegra

Tom Rivas, who rented the boat so he might propose to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram tales, saying he was not chargeable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I wish to put my heart out and say how vital it is to protect the environment," he stated.

Cloud Nine, an occasion planning company, additionally deflected accountability in a press release on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor adorned the boat and left. We embellished the pier, completed the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We are by no means in charge of eradicating balloon decorations," the assertion read partially.

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

"I used to be pretty upset about it, that is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna said. "I used to be right here once they had been setting them up and then initially I didn't really assume a lot of it but I assume as the day was done and they started popping away and letting all of them go into the water I was shocked."

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

"I mentioned to them,' are you guys severe, is that this one thing 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 have been doing to the marine life and the waterways by simply dumping all of those balloons into the water."

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee said balloons will be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can result in inside injury, hunger, and demise.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.