Lobster fight becomes attempted murder after diver's air supply is shut off, police say

Milena Malaver and Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald on Aug 5, 2026

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MIAMI — A dispute over a diving spot during the lobster mini-season ended in what authorities say was an attempted murder after a man allegedly turned off a diver’s oxygen supply.

On July 29, around 5:30 a.m., a boat had stopped, and its occupants were preparing to dive at a known lobster location when a second boat, a 27- to 28-foot Gray Conch, arrived at a “high rate of speed,” circled the vessel, then stopped and anchored about 10 feet away, according to the arrest affidavit for Michael Simpson, 51, of Miami Beach.

Those aboard the Conch told the occupants of the first boat they were in their spot, to which they responded that they had arrived first.

“Wait until the 39-foot Contender arrives,” an occupant of the Conch vessel said. The Contender arrived shortly afterward and positioned itself on the opposite side of the first boat, also about 10 feet away, deputies said.

A diver from the first boat entered the water. The captain told investigators he had to warn someone from the Contender to stay away from the Brownie diving system, a floating surface compressor that pumps fresh air to divers through an air hose.

Simpson then became “irate” and said, “I’ll turn the Brownie off if I want to!” before swimming over and turning it off, according to the affidavit.

Witnesses told investigators Simpson intentionally shut off the Brownie air supply, cutting off the diver’s air. People aboard the boat immediately began yelling, “We have a diver down there you a--hole,” per the arrest affidavit.

The captain of the first boat jumped into the water and pulled the diver to the surface using the Brownie’s air hose. When he surfaced, the diver was tangled in both the air hose and the anchor line. Witnesses said he was gasping for air, appeared disoriented and did not understand what had happened, deputies say.

Investigators said a passenger recorded the incident on a cellphone. According to the affidavit, the video shows Simpson swimming rapidly away from the Brownie after it was shut off.

After the incident, everyone returned to their boats. Authorities said Simpson then left aboard the 39-foot Contender, accompanied by the Conch vessel.

Witnesses later identified Simpson in a photo lineup, and detectives obtained statements from those aboard the victim’s boat.

On Tuesday, investigators contacted Simpson’s attorneys. Authorities coordinated with his attorneys for him to voluntarily surrender at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he later turned himself in.

Simpson appeared in bond court Wednesday before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer and is represented by Howard Srebnick and Mark Shapiro

His charges were reduced to attempted second-degree murder after defense attorneys pointed out there wasn’t enough for attempted felony murder.

“This is a very serious matter, that someone would try to turn off someone’s air tank while they’re ... diving,” Glazer said.

Simpson was ordered to stay away from the victim and the dive boat.

Prosecutors asked for elevated bond, but Glazer granted him a $10,000 bond. He remained locked up at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Wednesday afternoon.

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