ATLANTIS, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — A Palm Beach County homeowner has filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Atlantis and a private security contractor, alleging a gate-arm incident at a city entrance caused property damage and a shoulder injury and also violated his constitutional rights.
The complaint, Darrin Wynn v. City of Atlantis, Florida and East Coast Protection, Inc., was filed Feb. 17, 2026, in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida, under Case No. 502026CA001846XXXAMB. The suit is signed by attorney Bryan K. Boysaw of Boysaw Law in West Palm Beach. No attorneys for the defendants are listed in the complaint.
The plaintiff, Darrin Wynn, alleges he is a Florida resident and homeowner within the City of Atlantis. The complaint alleges Atlantis is a small municipality in Palm Beach County with about 2,000 residents and that the city is substantially enclosed by perimeter barriers, with most vehicle access occurring through three gated entrances.
According to the complaint, the city operates a vehicle access-control program using staffed guard gates and mechanical gate arms. The pleading alleges one gate is staffed 24 hours a day, while two are staffed 18 hours a day, and that during unstaffed hours those gate arms remain locked in a down position, leaving only a single entrance available for vehicular travel.
The incident described in the complaint is alleged to have occurred at the Clubhouse Boulevard entrance. The lawsuit alleges Clubhouse Boulevard is a public right-of-way, or alternatively is owned, maintained, or controlled by the city, and that under any scenario it is subject to Florida traffic law and constitutional protections. The complaint alleges the city had no valid ordinance or lawful authorization permitting obstruction or selective restraint of motorists at that location.
The complaint further alleges the inbound entrance has two lanes marked by signage, with one lane designated for residents with decals and another for visitors. Wynn alleges the city does not issue decals to residents and did not issue a decal to him. The complaint states that on the date of the alleged incident, Wynn was driving a rental vehicle and used the lane he believed was intended for vehicles without decals.
The lawsuit alleges Atlantis contracted with East Coast Protection, Inc. to staff and operate the guard gates and that gate attendants could control the gate arms and decide whether to raise or lower them. The complaint alleges that on Oct. 1, 2024, both gate arms were upright as Wynn approached, another vehicle arrived in the adjacent lane, and the attendant allowed that vehicle to proceed. While Wynn’s vehicle was in the left lane, the complaint alleges, the attendant intentionally and manually lowered the gate arm to stop Wynn’s vehicle. Wynn alleges he swerved to avoid the descending arm, the arm struck his vehicle and shattered the driver-side window and damaged the hood, and the evasive maneuver caused a shoulder injury.
Wynn’s complaint brings multiple counts, including negligence claims against the city and East Coast, and civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The complaint alleges the city operated an unauthorized gate system that obstructed a public roadway and breached a non-delegable duty related to roadway safety. Against East Coast, the complaint alleges the company failed to properly train and supervise gate attendants and is also vicariously liable for the gate attendant’s actions.
On the constitutional claims, the complaint alleges Wynn had a liberty interest in unobstructed travel on public roadways and that the gate program amounted to an unreasonable seizure under the Fourth Amendment, including claims framed as municipal policy or practice and alleged ratification by city leadership. The complaint also seeks declaratory and injunctive relief related to the continued operation of the gate system, along with damages, and it requests attorney’s fees and costs under federal law. All allegations are claims made by the plaintiff and have not been proven in court.
The original complaint, Darrin Wynn v. City of Atlantis, Florida and East Coast Protection, Inc., Case No. 502026CA001846XXXAMB, as filed Feb. 17, 2026, with the Clerk of Court, can be viewed here.
The lawsuit is among several civil negligence claims involving businesses reviewed in Boca Post’s Lawsuits reporting.
