BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — A dispute outside a Mizner Park restaurant escalated into a felony arrest after police say a woman grabbed another person’s phone and smashed it on the ground.
Nancy Johnson Simons, 69, of Boca Raton, was arrested April 20 by the Boca Raton Police Department following an incident at Villagio Italian Restaurant, located at 344 Plaza Real. She is charged with robbery by sudden snatching without a weapon and criminal mischief causing more than $1,000 in damage.
According to a probable cause affidavit, officers responded to the restaurant around 4:22 p.m. in reference to a disturbance. The situation began after a golf ball struck a juvenile girl seated at an outdoor table. The ball had been hit from a putting green in the center of Mizner Park, and a verbal altercation followed between the families involved.
Police say the confrontation continued as the other family began leaving the restaurant and walking toward their vehicle. During that time, the victim called 911 while her daughter recorded the interaction on a phone.
Investigators state that Simons approached the victim during the call, grabbed the phone from her hand, and threw it to the ground, cracking both the front and back glass. The affidavit notes that Simons then continued yelling and walking toward the victim as she attempted to move away.
Video reviewed by police reportedly shows the phone hitting the ground and captures the confrontation as it unfolded.
During the investigation, officers identified Simons through vehicle records and later made contact with her at a Boca Raton address. After being read her rights, Simons admitted to taking the phone from the victim and throwing it to the ground, according to the report. She also stated she stomped on the device after it fell and continued yelling at the victim.
The damaged phone was valued at approximately $1,600, according to the arrest documentation.
Simons was taken into custody and transported to the Palm Beach County Jail. Jail records show she was booked the evening of April 20 and later released the following day. Bond was set at $2,500 for each charge.
Court records indicate a first appearance hearing was scheduled for April 21, with additional court dates set for May 20 and June 18.
The charges stem from Florida statutes governing robbery by sudden snatching and felony criminal mischief. Robbery by sudden snatching applies when property is taken directly from a person’s possession without a weapon, while criminal mischief charges escalate based on the value of the damage caused.
The case remains open and will proceed through the Palm Beach County court system.
Check the latest Boca Raton arrest reports for confirmed bookings, criminal charges, and police enforcement activity.
