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 a number of 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 gaggle who says they "pleasure ourselves on defending and spreading consciousness on the beautiful waters we get to name house," 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 so they continued popping away with no care on the planet," 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 studies

Miami-Dade Police said Wednesday night time that they arrested one man and handed out 9 civil citations.

The person was recognized as 29-year-old David Torres-Bocanegra. He was charged with reckless disregard for the atmosphere.

“As a neighborhood, we share the responsibility to guard our environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez mentioned in a statement. "I am extremely 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 may propose to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram stories, saying he was not answerable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I want to put my coronary heart out and say how essential it's to guard the environment," he said.

Cloud Nine, an event planning firm, also deflected duty in a press release on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor adorned the boat and left. We embellished the pier, completed the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We're by no means accountable for eradicating balloon decorations," the assertion read partly.

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

"I used to be fairly upset about it, that is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna stated. "I was here after they have been setting them up and then initially I didn't actually suppose much of it however I guess as the day was accomplished they usually began popping away and letting them all go into the water I used to be shocked."

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

"I discussed to them,' are you guys critical, is this one thing you are going to do proper now?' [They] kind of simply blew me off, ignored me," Bruna stated. "It was horrifying to see what they have 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 mentioned balloons may be mistaken for food by sea turtles and different marine animals, and if eaten, can lead to inner injury, starvation, and demise.

Balloon releases have been illegal in Florida since 1989.