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 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 bunch who says they "pride ourselves on defending and spreading consciousness on the beautiful waters we get to name home," was shot simply after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Touchdown 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 have been ignored they usually continued popping away with no care in the world," 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 said Wednesday evening 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 surroundings.

“As a neighborhood, we share the accountability to protect our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez stated in an announcement. "I'm extremely happy with our Illegal Dumping Unit, for their 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 answerable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I wish to put my heart out and say how important it's to guard our surroundings," he mentioned.

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

"Our balloon vendor decorated the boat and left. We embellished the pier, finished the proposal, and cleaned up like we always do. We're never answerable for removing balloon decorations," the statement learn partially.

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

"I was fairly upset about it, this is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna mentioned. "I was here after they had been setting them up after which initially I did not actually assume much of it however I suppose as the day was accomplished they usually started popping away and letting them all go into the water I used to be shocked."

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

"I discussed to them,' are you guys severe, is that this one thing you are going to do proper now?' [They] form 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 those balloons into the water."

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stated balloons could be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can lead to inside injury, hunger, and demise.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.