Ontario woman charged with 'assault with a weapon' after allegedly spraying water gun at neighbor

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have arrested a Simcoe County, Ontario woman, charging her with assault with a weapon after she allegedly sprayed her neighbor with a water gun. “I’ve cried myself to sleep many nights,” Wendy Washik told CTV News.

Washik, 58, works as an educational assistant and explained that it all happened when she was having some fun with the neighborhood children while having a barbecue in her backyard on Sept. 1. “Because I love kids and work with kids, I asked [one] if he had any water guns and he said: ‘Yeah,’” she said.

The woman began playfully pursuing one child from the backyard to the front and when she mistakenly sprayed a neighbor as Washik experimented with the water gun to see if it was working. “I was trying to figure out how the water gun was working. It’s not like I play with water guns at my age,” she explained on Tuesday. “I was going through the gate and it accidentally hit the neighbor that was maybe three feet away, [who was] cutting his grass.” Washik said she offered her apologies to the individual.

According to the OPP, a Norfolk County officer arrived on scene to investigate a domestic dispute with “the victim being physically assaulted.” Washik said the cop wouldn’t listen to her explanation. “They told my husband to ‘bring your wife out of the backyard,’ and that I’m being charged with assault with a weapon,” she recalled. “They didn’t ask me one single question.”

Washik was arrested and has been placed on administrative leave by the school board where she works. “It just blows my mind that this has happened to me,” Washik said. “The mental and financial stress that has put on my family, my children and my husband, is not right and is not fair.”

Neighbors told CTV News that the “victim” has had issues with other people who live on the street. “He’s had numerous issues on the street, [with] lots of neighbors,” Kirk Stewart told the media outlet. “Police called on them and they’re constantly here.”

“It’s been a recurring issue on the street, police being at his house for very, very minor issues,” Michael MacConnachie noted while a third resident of the area said that she and her son just stay away from the man’s residence. “[Liam’s] friends are allowed to come to our house, but we no longer allow them to come to this house,” Bobbi said.

The local residents say that they feel like the victims of a local police force that is being used to harass them. “I don’t think it should be that way,” said Bobbi. “I think our system is really messed up. “We all get along fine, we’re not calling the police on our other neighbors,” MacConnachie said. “It’s always the one individual who’s calling the police.”

Norfolk County OPP said in an email to CTV News: “Regarding the charge that was laid, details about the weapon involved are considered part of the investigation and are not generally shared with the public.”

The OPP also addressed the concerns of neighbours: “We want to assure the community that every case is thoroughly investigated to ensure it is handled appropriately and brought to resolution,” the statement continued. “We are committed to maintaining high standards in our investigative work, regardless of how the public may perceive the allocation of resources. Our focus remains on doing our job effectively, ensuring that each case receives the attention it deserves, regardless of public perception.”