FWC: Two teens surrender in Boca Bash trash-dumping investigation.
BOCA RATON — Two juveniles have turned themselves in to face charges in an investigation into the dumping of two barrels of trash from a boat into the ocean during Sunday's, April 28, Boca Bash event, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Friday.
The FWC statement did not identify the juveniles or disclose their ages. It was not immediately clear what charges the juveniles would face.
FWC officers launched an investigation Monday, April 29, after receiving complaints in response to a video posted on social media that showed several juveniles on a boat traveling out of the Boca Inlet. The boat was heading away from the Boca Bash, an unsanctioned gathering of boaters, Jet-Skiers and kayakers that takes place on the final Sunday of each April on Lake Boca and attracts thousands of people.
The trash-dumping incident, captured by a drone, showed eight to 10 people in a three-engine fishing vessel named Halcyon leaving the Boca Raton Inlet in heaving waves. Two young men were then seen dumping two large buckets of garbage over the side of the boat, leaving a trail of multicolored cans, cups and bottles in their wake.
News outlets nationwide broadcast the video. The outrage that followed turned the incident into "a worldwide story," FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto said. He told the FWC board, at a Wednesday meeting in Daytona Beach, that the world "is watching us."
Boca Bash trash dumping incident drew national attention
The Boca Bash Facebook page addressed the incident in an April 30 post, saying the boating community would work together to identify the boat and its occupants so they could be reported to FWC investigators.
FWC said its investigators were able to confirm the identities of the two teens and worked with the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office to determine what charges they will face. Under Florida's litter law, someone dumping litter that weighs 15 pounds or less can be fined $150, but it is not a criminal offense. If the litter exceeds 15 pounds but is under 500 pounds, it is a first-degree misdemeanor.
In a statement announcing the pending charges, Barreto described it as a "teaching moment for all those involved."
“The illegal dumping of trash in our marine environment is a serious crime, and we worked closely with the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office to determine appropriate charges. Callous disregard for Florida’s environment will not be tolerated," he said.
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him atjwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at@JuliusWhigham. Help support our work:Subscribe today.