BOYNTON BEACH, FL — A Lyft driver’s Tesla had a shattered driver-side window. The driver had a long abrasion on his left arm.
Palm Beach County deputies say the case started after a near-miss with pedestrians in a Boynton Beach neighborhood and ended with a Boca Raton man arrested in a felony criminal mischief and misdemeanor battery case.
John Walsh, 57, of Boca Raton, is listed in Palm Beach County court records under Case No. 50-2026-CF-003799-AXXX-MB. The case style is listed as Walsh, John. Court records show the case was filed May 22, 2026, with charges listed as criminal mischief damage to property of $1,000 or more and battery by touch or strike.
The charges are allegations. Walsh is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office probable cause affidavit, deputies responded at about 10:17 p.m. on April 15, 2026, to the area of Calliandra Drive and Fox Trail Trace in Boynton Beach after a reported battery.
The Lyft driver, identified in the affidavit as Robert Price, told deputies he was driving west on Fox Trail Trace to pick up a customer when he nearly collided with pedestrians in the road. Price said he swerved to avoid them, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit says Price told deputies the pedestrians began yelling. He continued down the street to pick up the Lyft customer, but said the group began yelling again and appeared to be telling the customer not to get into the vehicle.
Price told deputies he turned around in a cul-de-sac and began driving eastbound to leave the area. According to the affidavit, one of the subjects then grabbed a trash can and threw it at the driver’s side of the Tesla.
The affidavit says the trash can struck Price’s left arm and damaged the Tesla. A deputy wrote that Price had a large abrasion extending from his wrist to his elbow. The deputy also reported extensive damage near the driver’s door handle and a shattered driver-side window that was being held in place by tint.
According to the affidavit, the cost to restore the vehicle to its prior condition was later determined to exceed $1,000.
PBSO dispatch later received a 911 call from people who reported that a Tesla had swerved and almost hit them while they were walking in the neighborhood, the affidavit states. Dispatch notes cited in the affidavit said the caller had placed a trash can between himself and his wife.
Deputies then went to a home on Fox Trail Trace to speak with the callers, according to the affidavit. The deputy wrote that Walsh matched the description given by Price, including his clothing and facial hair.
The affidavit says Walsh claimed the driver had intentionally tried to run him over. According to the deputy, Walsh also made statements about placing the trash can in front of the car and later said, “I was defending myself.”
The deputy wrote in the affidavit that the damage to the Tesla was inconsistent with Walsh’s account. The affidavit also states that, on May 1, 2026, Price was shown a photo lineup by a deputy who had no knowledge of the case and identified Walsh as the person who threw the trash can.
Based on the investigation, PBSO said probable cause existed to charge Walsh with criminal mischief damage to property of $1,000 or more and battery by touch or strike.
Palm Beach County booking records show Walsh was booked June 13, 2026, at 12:02 p.m. and released the same day at 5:23 p.m. on his own recognizance. The booking record lists original and current bond amounts of $0 on both charges.
The docket also lists a “State to File Charges” court event set for July 16, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. before Judge John Parnofiello. A notice of arraignment was also docketed June 14, 2026.
The filing reviewed by Boca Post does not include a plea, final disposition, or ruling in the case.
See the latest Boynton Beach arrests, including recent jail bookings, mugshots, and criminal charges filed in Boynton Beach.
