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 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 bunch who says they "delight ourselves on defending and spreading awareness on the attractive waters we get to call residence," was shot simply 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 were ignored and they continued popping away with no care on this planet," the group posted in their message.

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

Miami-Dade Police stated 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 setting.

“As a neighborhood, we share the accountability to guard the environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez said in an announcement. "I'm extremely pleased 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 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 coronary heart out and say how essential it is to protect our surroundings," he stated.

Cloud Nine, an occasion planning firm, additionally deflected accountability in a statement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor adorned 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 in part.

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

"I was pretty upset about it, that is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna stated. "I used to be here when they had been setting them up and then initially I did not actually assume much of it however I assume as the day was performed and they started popping away and letting them all go into the water I was shocked."

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

"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 simply dumping all of these balloons into the water."

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stated balloons might be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can lead to internal harm, hunger, and death.

Balloon releases have been illegal in Florida since 1989.