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 gaggle who says they "pleasure ourselves on protecting and spreading awareness on the gorgeous waters we get to name dwelling," was shot simply 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 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 stories

Miami-Dade Police stated Wednesday evening that they arrested one man and handed out 9 civil citations.

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

“As a group, we share the responsibility to guard the environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez stated in a statement. "I am extraordinarily pleased with 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 may propose 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 coronary heart out and say how vital it is to guard the environment," he stated.

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

"Our balloon vendor embellished the boat and left. We decorated the pier, finished the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We are never in control of removing balloon decorations," the statement read in part.

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

"I was fairly upset about it, that is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna stated. "I used to be here when they were setting them up after which initially I did not really assume a lot of it however I assume as the day was completed they usually started popping away and letting them all go into the water I was shocked."

One witness said the balloons could have been a part of a marriage proposal. Bruna mentioned he confronted the people.

"I mentioned to them,' are you guys critical, is this something you are going to do right now?' [They] type of simply blew me off, ignored me," Bruna mentioned. "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."

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission mentioned balloons will be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can result in internal damage, hunger, and death.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.