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 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 gaggle who says they "pleasure ourselves on protecting and spreading awareness on the attractive waters we get to call dwelling," was shot simply after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Touchdown Marina.

Two individuals onboard the boat are seen popping balloons and letting them fall into the water.

"As we passed them and expressed our disagreement, we have been ignored and so they continued popping away with no care on the earth," the group posted in their message.

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

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

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

“As a community, we share the duty to protect our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez stated 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 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 protect the environment," he stated.

Cloud 9, an event planning company, 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 assertion learn partly.

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

"I was fairly upset about it, that is our bay, this is our livelihood," Bruna stated. "I used to be here once they had been setting them up and then initially I didn't really assume a lot of it but I guess because the day was performed and they started popping away and letting all of them go into the water I used to be shocked."

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

"I discussed to them,' are you guys severe, is that this something you are going to do proper now?' [They] kind 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 just dumping all of these balloons into the water."

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee said balloons may be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can lead to inner damage, starvation, and demise.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.