Thursday, 6 August 2026, 15:40
What started as a disagreement over a lobster diving spot in Biscayne Bay turned into an attempted murder investigation, according to CBS News. A South Florida man was arrested after deputies accused him of trying to kill a diver during Florida's two-day recreational lobster mini season.
The dispute centered on a diving spot, a common flashpoint during mini season when recreational divers compete for lobsters in popular South Florida waters. Deputies said the suspect shut off the other diver's air supply during the confrontation.
Investigators identified the suspect as Michael Joseph Simpson, 51. Simpson surrendered Tuesday to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County, where he was booked Tuesday evening on an attempted murder charge, according to Miami-Dade jail records. His bond was set at $10,000.
The incident occurred shortly after 7 a.m. on July 29 about a half-mile east of Fisher Island. Citing the arrest affidavit, Law&Crime reported that Simpson allegedly approached another boat at a high rate of speed and circled the vessel several times before anchoring about 10 feet away. After Simpson claimed the group was diving in 'his spot' and warned that a larger boat was on its way, authorities allege he threatened to turn off the surface-supplied air system providing oxygen to an 18-year-old diver searching for lobsters. Investigators say Simpson then jumped into the water and intentionally shut off the unit.
Witnesses yelled, "We have a diver down there you a--hole!" according to the arrest affidavit. The boat owner jumped into the water and pulled the diver to the surface. The diver was gasping for air and appeared disoriented but was not injured, Local 10 reported. Investigators allege Simpson left before deputies arrived.
Simpson's attorney, Howard Srebnick, strongly denied the allegations, saying video shows one of the accusers becoming entangled in the air system while Simpson was "nowhere near it." Srebnick said Simpson idled his boat away from the immediate area to avoid escalating the confrontation before cooperating with responding Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers and providing a statement. He also said numerous eyewitnesses aboard two separate boats corroborated Simpson's version of events and criticized the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office for arresting his client before interviewing what he described as exculpatory witnesses.
The incident took place in Biscayne Bay, a densely used waterway in Miami-Dade County. The bay is a top destination for recreational divers during the brief lobster mini season, which draws crowds each summer. The case does not involve California, but it underscores how quickly crowded diving conditions can turn dangerous.
Florida's recreational lobster mini season is a two-day window that precedes the regular spiny lobster season. The compressed timeline often puts many divers in the same water at the same time, increasing the potential for conflicts over prime lobster habitat.
The alleged attack is now a felony case. The suspect was released on $10,000 bond, and authorities are treating the incident as attempted murder. As with all criminal charges, the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
