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

A person has been arrested after cellphone video captured what appeared 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 "delight ourselves on protecting and spreading awareness on the gorgeous waters we get to name residence," was shot just after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Landing Marina.

Two people 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 ship popping balloons into the ocean. NBC 6's Jamie Guirola experiences

Miami-Dade Police stated 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 environment.

“As a community, we share the accountability to protect our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez stated in a press release. "I'm extremely happy 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 accountable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I need to put my heart out and say how important it is to protect our surroundings," he stated.

Cloud Nine, an occasion planning company, also deflected accountability in a press release on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor adorned the boat and left. We decorated the pier, completed the proposal, and cleaned up like we always do. We are by no means answerable for removing balloon decorations," the statement learn partly.

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

"I was pretty upset about it, that is our bay, this is our livelihood," Bruna mentioned. "I was right here once they have been setting them up and then initially I didn't actually suppose a lot of it however I guess because the day was done they usually started popping away and letting them all go into the water I was shocked."

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

"I mentioned to them,' are you guys critical, is that this one thing you are going to do proper now?' [They] type of simply blew me off, ignored me," Bruna mentioned. "It was horrifying to see what they have been doing to the marine life and the waterways by simply dumping all of these balloons into the water."

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee mentioned balloons may be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and different marine animals, and if eaten, can lead to internal damage, hunger, and demise.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.