Florida Lawyer Phillip Ortiz Accused of Attackingโ aโข Man inโข Wild Norwegian Cruise Shipโ Brawl
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY,FL – A 38-year-old Florida โattorney is facing charges of aggravated battery after allegedly attacking a 67-year-old man aboard a Norwegian Cruise โship,leavingโ the victim unconscious.โ Phillip Ortiz, of Miami Lakes, was arrested โfollowing the incident, according to aโ criminal complaint filed in โMiami-Dadeโ County.
Theโค altercation occurredโ when Ortiz was reportedly told he could not access a restricted corridorโ on the ship. Witnessesโฃ andโ policeโ reports indicateโค a verbal dispute โคescalated into a physical confrontation, ultimately resultingโ in the victim sustaining serious injuries. The incident highlights the potential โฃfor escalating conflicts in enclosed environments and raises questionsโ about โsecurity protocols on cruise โlines.
According to the criminal โคcomplaint, Ortiz โconfronted the man, allegedly stating, “Who the f— โare โyou to tell โme โฃwhat I can and can’t do?”โ Theโฃ victimโ told police Ortiz then pushed him, and aโ woman believed to be Ortiz’s wife also joined in pushing the man.โ After retreating, Ortizโ allegedly forced โopen a door andโฃ charged at theโข victim.
The report details that โฃOrtiz tripped โขthe man, causing him to fall and hit hisโ head, with Ortiz’s โfull body weight landing on top ofโข him,โ resulting in a loss of consciousness. โขPassengers immediately beganโ performing CPR on the victim while Ortiz allegedly did notโ offer assistance.
Ortiz’s attorney, Stephanโ Lopez, stated, “Myโ client vehemently denies that โhe is the primary aggressor,” according to WSVN.
Norwegian Cruise Line released a statement to USA Today, saying, “We have zero tolerance for violenceโค of any kind onโ our ships and areโค committed to providing a safe cruising experience for all aboard.” โ
The examination โis ongoing. โคOrtiz isโ charged with aggravated battery on a personโฃ 65 or older. โIt remains unclear weather the victim was aโ passenger or aโ member of the ship’sโข crew.