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

A man 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 group who says they "satisfaction ourselves on defending and spreading consciousness on the attractive waters we get to name dwelling," 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 of their message.

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

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

The man 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 protect the environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez said in a statement. "I'm extraordinarily 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 suggest 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 essential it is to protect our surroundings," he said.

Cloud 9, an event planning company, also deflected duty in a statement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor decorated the boat and left. We embellished the pier, finished the proposal, and cleaned up like we all the time do. We are never accountable for eradicating balloon decorations," the assertion read partially.

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

"I used to be fairly upset about it, this is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna mentioned. "I was right here when they have been setting them up and then initially I didn't actually assume a lot of it however I guess because the day was achieved and they began popping away and letting all of them go into the water I used to be shocked."

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

"I discussed to them,' are you guys severe, is that this one thing you are going to do proper now?' [They] form 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 just dumping all of these balloons into the water."

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee stated balloons could be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can result in internal damage, hunger, and demise.

Balloon releases have been illegal in Florida since 1989.