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

A person has been arrested after cellphone video captured what seemed to be several 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 "satisfaction ourselves on protecting and spreading awareness on the attractive waters we get to name house," was shot just 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 had been ignored they usually continued popping away with no care on the planet," the group posted of their message.

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

Miami-Dade Police said 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 group, we share the accountability to guard our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez mentioned in a press release. "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 may suggest to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram tales, saying he was not chargeable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I want to put my heart out and say how vital it is to guard our surroundings," he mentioned.

Cloud Nine, an occasion planning firm, also deflected accountability in an announcement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor adorned the boat and left. We decorated the pier, finished the proposal, and cleaned up like we always do. We are by no means accountable for eradicating balloon decorations," the statement learn in part.

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

"I was pretty upset about it, that is our bay, this is our livelihood," Bruna said. "I was right here after they had been setting them up after which initially I didn't actually assume much of it but I assume as the day was carried out they usually started popping away and letting them all go into the water I used to be shocked."

One witness stated the balloons could have been part of a wedding proposal. Bruna stated he confronted the individuals.

"I discussed to them,' are you guys severe, is that this one thing you are going to do right now?' [They] sort 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."

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stated balloons might be mistaken for food by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can result in internal injury, starvation, and loss of life.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.