A playful moment quickly turned serious for Wendy Washik, a 58-year-old woman from Simcoe, Ontario, who was charged with assault after accidentally spraying her neighbor with a water gun. The incident occurred during a Labor Day weekend barbeque, where Washik was experimenting with a water gun while playing with children. The spray accidentally hit her neighbor, who was mowing his lawn. Despite her apology, the neighbor—who reportedly has had multiple issues with other residents on the street—called the police, leading to her being charged with “assault with a weapon.”
Washik, who works as an educational assistant, expressed disbelief and frustration over the situation, explaining that the water gun was unfamiliar to her and that the spray was unintentional. She said, “It’s not like I play with water guns at my age.” Washik added that the police did not ask for her side of the story when they arrived at her home.
The neighbor in question, known for frequently calling the police on minor issues, has had ongoing disputes with others in the area. Neighbor Kirk Stewart told local media, “He’s had numerous issues on the street, with lots of neighbors. Police called on them, and they’re constantly here.”
As a result of the charges, Washik has been placed on leave from her job and is facing financial strain. Her family started a crowdfunding campaign to help cover legal fees, raising over $12,000 CAD on GoFundMe before the campaign was taken down due to it being linked to a criminal case. A new fundraising campaign on GiveSendGo has since raised over $2,000 CAD, while a petition on Change.org calling for the charges to be dropped has garnered over 300 signatures.
Washik is expected to appear in court on September 24.
