Man accused of knocking elderly passenger unconscious on cruise ship

A Florida attorney is facing felony charges after allegedly assaulting an elderly passenger aboard a cruise ship over the weekend, newly released Miami-Dade County criminal court records show.

Phillip Ortiz, 38, of Miami Lakes, Florida, is accused of physically attacking a cruise passenger 65 years or older on the Norwegian Encore cruise ship. He was arrested on Saturday, November 22. 

According to the arrest affidavit, the confrontation began when the victim told Ortiz he could not enter a hallway because it was not open to guests at the time.

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Ortiz became agitated, saying, "Who the f—— are you to tell me what I can and can't do?" He then pushed the victim, who reacted by trying to shove Ortiz away. 

However, a woman identified in court as Ortiz’s wife retaliated by pushing the victim. After some back-and-forth, the victim proceeded into the aforementioned hallway, attempting to push the doors closed so Ortiz could not follow him.

Even so, he forced the door open and viciously attacked the victim. At one point, according to the report, Ortiz tripped the victim, who landed on his head. Ortiz then put his full body weight on the victim, causing him to lose consciousness. Instead of trying to help them, Ortiz fled the scene. 

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Other passengers performed CPR on the victim since he didn't have a pulse. The ship's medical and security teams were also called. 

Witnesses and surveillance footage corroborated the victim’s account. Moreover, Ortiz declined to speak with investigators about the incident. 

The deputies concluded that "[Ortiz] had the [opportunity] to end this confrontation, but chose to force his way back into the area and continue his aggression towards the victim." 

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Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed the incident in a statement to PEOPLE:

"On Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025 while the ship was docked in Miami, Mr. Ortiz was arrested by the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office after assaulting a 67-year old male guest who was later transported to a shoreside hospital for further treatment. We have zero-tolerance for violence of any kind on our ships and are committed to providing a safe cruising experience for all aboard."

Ortiz is currently being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami. His attorney, Stephan Lopez, filed a plea of not guilty on Nov. 23, PEOPLE reported. 

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"The so called elderly person is bigger [and] stronger than my client," read an emailed statement shared by Lopez with PEOPLE. "[He] was already drunk prior to the ship departing and he instigated and initiated the aggression amongst other things, assaulting my client’s wife and preventing access to their children [6 and 14], without authority, closing a door behind them and preventing access."

Ortiz was admitted to the Florida Bar in Sept. 2012 and is still eligible to practice law in the state. He works at the Firm Law Group and specializes in state and federal commercial and civil litigation, says his biography. Ortiz obtained his J.D. from the Florida International University College of Law.