A California surfer has described in court how she genuinely feared for her life during a terrifying confrontation with a paddleboarder in the ocean off Morro Bay. The incident, which occurred on August 23, 2025, has led to serious felony charges and a forthcoming trial.
Violent Confrontation in the Waves
Haylee Red-Van Rooyen, a 51-year-old surfer, was enjoying the waves with friends when her peaceful session turned into a nightmare. According to prosecutors, Andrew Gustafson, a 60-year-old paddleboarder, began manoeuvring through the group of surfers, leading to a dangerous collision.
Red-Van Rooyen testified in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court that Gustafson recklessly rammed into her from behind, knocking her off her board despite there being ample space to avoid her. "He took the wave from behind me and came just tearing down the line, and then ran into the back of me and knocked me off the board," she explained, as reported by The San Luis Obispo Tribune.
From Verbal Confrontation to Physical Assault
After the initial collision, Red-Van Rooyen confronted Gustafson about his dangerous behaviour. "I'm a woman that was raised to stand up for myself, and I didn't want it to happen to anyone else, so I confronted him," she told the court. She admitted to calling him offensive names and telling him his actions were "not cool" and "not necessary."
What followed, according to her testimony, was a rapid escalation. Gustafson allegedly responded with a torrent of abusive language before striking her with his longboard on the right side of her body. The situation deteriorated further when he allegedly grabbed her hair and forcibly pulled her underwater while continuing to hurl derogatory insults.
"I thought I was going to die," Red-Van Rooyen told the court with evident trauma. "I thought I was going to drown." Although the submersion lasted only about three seconds, she described it as feeling like an eternity.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
Following the incident, Red-Van Rooyen reported the assault to state park rangers upon returning to shore. Gustafson was initially booked on suspicion of attempted murder, but the District Attorney's Office did not pursue this particular charge.
Instead, three days after the altercation, Gustafson was charged with two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon, with one count specifying force likely to produce great bodily injury. He has pleaded not guilty to both accusations, and the case is now bound for trial.
Defence Arguments and Judicial Response
Gustafson's lawyer, Ilan Funke-Bilu, characterised the incident as a "classic story of surfer versus paddleboarder" and requested that the charges be reduced to misdemeanours. However, Judge Crystal Seiler denied this request, citing the severity of the allegations.
"It does appear to me that the offenses in the complaint have been committed, and there is sufficient cause to believe Mr Gustafson is guilty of them," Judge Seiler stated in her ruling.
According to public records, Gustafson is represented by attorneys Ilan Funke-Bilu, Kenneth Cirisan, and Hogan Ganschow. The prosecution is being handled by District Attorneys Ashley Cervera, Rajesh Chabra, and James Michael Graff-Radford.
Ongoing Legal Process
The case continues to move through the judicial system, with Gustafson scheduled to return to court on March 2 for his pre-trial hearing. The incident has highlighted tensions between different water sports enthusiasts and raised questions about safety and conduct in shared ocean spaces.
While the defence attempts to frame the confrontation as a common conflict between surfers and paddleboarders, the prosecution maintains that the alleged actions crossed into criminal territory. The court will ultimately determine the validity of these competing narratives when the case proceeds to trial.
