Ex-NFL center Barret Robbins arrested in Boca Raton

Former Oakland Raiders Pro Bowl player accused of attacking women outside hotel

Former Oakland Raiders center Barret Robbins was arrested on battery charges in Boca Raton.

BOCA RATON, Fla. – A former Pro Bowl center is accused of attacking two women Monday night outside a Boca Raton hotel.

Barret Robbins, 42, of Delray Beach, was arrested Tuesday on two felony counts of battery.

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According to a Boca Raton police report, Robbins approached Gina Ronca and Gianna Ronca while they were waiting outside the lobby of a Best Western on North Federal Highway and began punching them multiple times.

Police said after Robbins stopped punching them, he sat on a bench near the hotel.

A manager witnessed the attack and called police.

The women, who were visiting from New York, told police that Robbins never said anything to them during the attack. Police said they were treated at the scene for head pain.

Police said Robbins refused to speak to the arresting officer. He was arrested and booked into the county jail early the next morning.

Robbins played for the Oakland Raiders from 1995-2003, starting 105 games during his nine-year NFL career. He had his best season in 2002, when he made the Pro Bowl.

The second-round draft pick from Texas Christian also made headlines for his off-field antics.

On the eve of Oakland's 48-21 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII, Robbins disappeared. He wound up spending 30 days at the Betty Ford Center and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Robbins regained his starting job in 2003, but released the next year after testing positive for steroids. Then in 2005, during an incident in Miami Beach, Robbins was shot three during a struggle with a police officer investigating a burglary. He was later sentenced to five years of probation and spent much of the remainder of the decade in and out of rehabilitation facilities.

According to the Boca Raton police report, Robbins was convicted of battery on a law enforcement officer in August 2006 and was on inmate release status.


About the Author:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.