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 near a Coconut Grove marina on Tuesday.

The video posted by MMG Outboard Division, a group who says they "satisfaction ourselves on defending and spreading consciousness on the beautiful waters we get to call house," was shot just 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 had been ignored they usually 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 reports

Miami-Dade Police said Wednesday evening that they arrested one man and handed out nine civil citations.

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

“As a group, we share the duty to guard our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez stated in a press release. "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 may suggest to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram tales, saying he was not liable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I want to put my heart out and say how important it's to protect our surroundings," he said.

Cloud Nine, an event planning company, also deflected responsibility in a press release on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor decorated the boat and left. We embellished the pier, finished the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We're by no means in control of eradicating balloon decorations," the assertion learn in part.

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

"I used to be 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 much of it however I guess because the day was finished they usually began popping away and letting all of them go into the water I was shocked."

One witness said the balloons could have been part of a wedding proposal. Bruna mentioned he confronted the individuals.

"I discussed to them,' are you guys critical, is this something you are going to do right now?' [They] form of just blew me off, ignored me," Bruna said. "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 Commission said balloons can be mistaken for food by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can result in inner damage, hunger, and death.

Balloon releases have been illegal in Florida since 1989.