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

A person has been arrested after cellphone video captured what gave the impression 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 gaggle who says they "pleasure ourselves on protecting and spreading consciousness on the gorgeous waters we get to call 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 handed 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 boat popping balloons into the ocean. NBC 6's Jamie Guirola stories

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

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

“As a neighborhood, we share the responsibility to protect our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez said in a press release. "I am extraordinarily proud of 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 stories, saying he was not responsible for the balloon popping.

"First off, I need to put my coronary heart out and say how important it's to guard our environment," he stated.

Cloud 9, an occasion planning firm, also deflected duty in an announcement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor adorned the boat and left. We embellished the pier, finished the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We are by no means accountable for eradicating balloon decorations," the statement read partially.

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

"I was fairly upset about it, that is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna mentioned. "I used to be right here when they had been setting them up and then initially I didn't actually suppose much of it but I assume as the day was performed and they began popping away and letting all of them go into the water I was shocked."

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

"I discussed to them,' are you guys critical, is that this something you are going to do right now?' [They] form of simply blew me off, ignored me," Bruna stated. "It was horrifying to see what they had been doing to the marine life and the waterways by simply dumping all of those balloons into the water."

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said balloons could be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and different marine animals, and if eaten, can lead to internal injury, starvation, and death.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.