Cops: Man Assaulted Juveniles, Stole Phones Near Boca Raton Beachfront

Jason Paul Norris (Photo: Palm Beach County Jail)

A 46-year-old man was arrested near the beach in Boca Raton after police say he snatched cellphones from two juveniles during an altercation and grabbed one of the victims by the wrist, causing a minor injury.

Jason Norris, of Lake Worth, was charged with two counts of robbery by sudden snatching, simple battery and child abuse, according to a police report filed in court on Monday. He was taken into custody Sunday evening. According to the filing, officers responded to a physical altercation involving an adult male and juveniles near 799 E. Palmetto Park Road – located on the barrier island a few blocks from the beach – around 7:21 p.m. on May 10.

One juvenile told police Norris approached while a group of them were on bicycles, leading to a verbal confrontation. The report alleges Norris grabbed a cellphone directly from one victim’s hand and threw it into bushes on two separate occasions. He allegedly grabbed one victim by his right wrist, causing the youth to fall off the bicycle and sustain a minor injury to his right knee. Norris then reportedly chased a second juvenile.

Police said video footage and the victims’ sworn statements corroborated the accounts. After being read his Miranda rights, the report stated, Norris allegedly admitted to the verbal altercation and that he took a phone from one juvenile’s hand and threw it into a bush. He described his actions as a “consequence to their actions,” referring to the juveniles, and said he “had to teach them a lesson,” but denied making physical contact with the victims or throwing the phone a second time.

It was not clear what may have sparked the incident in the first place. Norris remained lodged in the Palm Beach County Jail on Tuesday, in lieu of $7,000 combined bail for the four total charges.