A Miami Beach man charged with attempted murder for allegedly shutting off a juvenile diver's air supply in waters half a mile east of Fisher Island was a member of Miami-Dade's Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force, the same body created to improve safety on Biscayne Bay.

Michael Simpson, 51, faces attempted second-degree murder charges after the July 29 incident during lobster mini-season, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. The task force connection was first reported by the Miami Herald on Aug. 5.

How the Confrontation Unfolded on the Water

On July 29, the first day of lobster mini-season, a boat had stopped at a known diving spot and its occupants were preparing to dive when a 27- to 28-foot Gray Conch arrived at a "high rate of speed," circled the vessel and anchored about 10 feet away, according to the arrest affidavit cited by the Herald. The confrontation began around 5:30 a.m. A 39-foot Contender arrived shortly after and positioned itself on the opposite side.

After a juvenile diver entered the water from the first boat, the captain warned someone from the Contender to stay away from the vessel's Brownie diving system, a floating surface compressor that pumps fresh air to divers through a hose. Simpson allegedly became irate and declared, "I'll turn the Brownie off if I want to!" before swimming over and shutting it off.

The boat's captain jumped in and pulled the diver to the surface using the air hose. The diver surfaced tangled in both the hose and an anchor line, gasping for air and disoriented, witnesses told investigators. A passenger recorded the incident on cellphone video, which shows Simpson swimming rapidly away from the Brownie after it was shut off, according to the affidavit.

Simpson Surrenders, Faces Reduced Charge and $10,000 Bond

Simpson voluntarily surrendered Aug. 4, coordinating with his attorneys, Howard Srebnick and Mark Shapiro. He appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer on Aug. 5.

"This is a very serious matter, that someone would try to turn off someone's air tank while they're … diving," Glazer said during the hearing.

His charges were reduced from attempted felony murder to attempted second-degree murder after defense attorneys argued insufficient evidence for the original charge. Glazer granted a $10,000 bond over prosecutors' request for a higher amount and ordered Simpson to stay away from the victim and the dive boat. He remained held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of the afternoon of Aug. 5.

Simpson Served on County Task Force Formed After Deadly Bay Collision

Simpson served on the eight-member Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force, which Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava launched in April 2025 in partnership with the Lucy Fernandez Foundation. The task force was created after a deadly July 2025 barge-sailboat collision near Hibiscus Island that killed three children. The group was charged with developing recommendations to improve boater education and encourage responsible behavior on Biscayne Bay.

The task force delivered its final recommendations on May 4, less than three months before the incident. Those proposals included a boater ID system for marina users and a unified citation database across the four agencies that currently share marine enforcement on the bay: the City of Miami, Miami Beach, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Miami-Dade County.

No statement from the county or the mayor's office regarding Simpson's membership has been released.

State Law Requires Boats to Stay 300 Feet From Divers-Down Flags

Boats must remain at least 300 feet from a divers-down flag under state law. Vessels entering that zone must travel at idle speed.

Residents who witness unsafe boating behavior on Biscayne Bay can contact the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office marine patrol or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's tip line at 888-404-3922.