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Paddleboarder attacks surfer in Morro Bay, charged with attempted murder

August 26, 2025

Morro Bay 

By KAREN VELIE

During an altercation over a wave, a male paddleboarder allegedly attacked a female surfer in the waters off Morro Bay on Saturday, according to State Parks. While the surfer is recovering from the assault, the man is charged with attempted murder.

While surfing is a male dominated sport, on Saturday morning four women decided to go surfing in Morro Bay. However, the swell wasn’t up with only small two-foot waves.

According to surfer etiquette, you don’t cut someone off. In this case, the female surfer was far in front of 59-year-old Andy Gustafson when he ran her over, screamed at her, beat her with his paddle, jumped on her board, grabbed her by the hair, and shoved her under water, another surfer said.

Officers booked Gustafson in the San Luis Obispo County Jail on felony charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, and misdemeanor charges of assault and battery. He remains in jail with his bail set at $500,000.

 


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Was wondering if there had been any other similar incidents and found this: In 2018, a man in San Diego, California, was severely injured after a confrontation with a stand-up paddle boarder. The surfer, Kevin Eslinger, was hit in the head with a carbon fiber paddle during an argument over a wave. The blow fractured his skull and caused brain damage, leaving him with impaired speech. The attacker, Paul Konen, was later found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon and sentenced to prison.


26

Paddleboarding, surfing and golf do not mix.


0

Probably had a man bun and a lefty. What a pansy.


16

Beat up a girl? What a wimp. Friends don’t let friends SUP.


57

Paddleboarders= The “Water Karens”.


58

Wow! What a dick!


82

Road Rage on the Water! Dow will probably will give him a sweetheart plea deal.


-28

Over 2ft. wave? A women was beaten? Who is this demented fuck and why didn’t any locals beat his ass?!! Fuck the rules at that point. Show his face


93

100%


1

Etiquette, shmetiquette. You don’t do that. Period. Even in the old days, between male surfers, it never went that far. This guy lost his mind, and now he’s going to have a long time to think about it. Not cool at all.


75

Cannabis should have made him calmer . Maybe he was on Crank .


-5

Andy you are an idiot. Enjoy jail, you earned it.


77
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