Two young spring breakers turned themselves in to police on Friday after a video went viral showing them dumping trash-filled trash cans into the ocean while on a boat off the coast of Florida last weekend.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced that a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old boy have both been charged with third-degree felonies for allegedly polluting waters off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida, while on a boat.
“The two boys turned themselves in to authorities for violating Florida’s water pollution laws,” the FWC said in a statement. According to WPBF.
Disturbing video shared by YouTuber Wavey Boat, The moment a boat carrying several teenagers leaves a raging Boca Bash party and takes a short voyage out to sea towards a garbage dump.
Drone footage showed the 16-year-old rower awkwardly bouncing through the air and clinging to the boat’s canopy as it made its way out of Lake Boca’s inlet and out into the open sea.
The ship was then hit by heavy waves, and two full bins were thrown overboard by the 16-year-old and his shirtless captain.
After the can was emptied, one of the knuckleheads momentarily lifted the can over his head to celebrate as the boat rolled on the waves.
State wildlife officials condemned the teens’ actions, calling their actions a “serious crime.”
“Illegal dumping of trash into our marine environment is a serious crime, and we worked closely with the Palm Beach County State’s Attorney’s Office to determine the appropriate charges. This callous disregard for Florida’s environment is This will not be tolerated. This is a teachable moment for everyone involved – Florida’s natural resources are precious and we all must do our part to protect them.” Rodney Barreto said in a statement.
Law enforcement officials located the boat’s owner, visited his home, and his 15-year-old son, who was seen operating the boat on video, confirmed it to police. According to people.
“We take our responsibility to care for our oceans and our communities very seriously, and we are deeply saddened by the events that occurred at Boca Bash last weekend,” the family said in a statement. According to WPLG. “We would like to extend our sincere apologies to everyone affected by this incident and who are understandably upset.
“Our family and attorneys have been in contact with FWC since we first heard from them and continue to cooperate with all authorities.
“As a family, we agree with FWC Commissioner Rodney Barreto that this is an educational opportunity for the young children involved and that they will develop an understanding of the importance of community and the environment. They should definitely participate in community service and marine conservation activities.”
The teens faced fines of up to $50,000 and five years in prison.
