Ontario woman agrees to peace bond for spraying neighbour with water gun, assault charge withdrawn

Samantha Beattie · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 19, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

A Simcoe, Ont., woman has entered into a bid enslaved aft she sprayed her neighbour with a h2o weapon and was charged with assault. 

Wendy Washik, 58, indispensable keep the peace, be on good behaviour and meet court-ordered conditions for 9 months. The battle charge against her was withdrawn and she won't person a transgression record, ordered Justice A.G. Summers astatine the Simcoe courthouse Tuesday.

Those conditions include not having any interaction with her neighbour, Sheehan Rochester, 49, oregon spell connected his property, Summers said. If she violates the bid bond, she could look a criminal complaint again. 

The bid enslaved is not an admittance of guilt, the tribunal heard. 

She was charged connected Sept. 1, 2024, but previously told CBC Hamilton that the incidental wasn't arsenic superior arsenic constabulary made it seem.

She said she'd been having a playful h2o weapon combat with a kid erstwhile she accidentally sprayed Rochester's thorax arsenic helium mowed the lawn. 

Security footage from Rochester's spot appears to amusement a antithetic mentation of events.

In an interrogation with CBC News past fall, Rochester said he'd experienced years of racially fuelled harassment by a radical of neighbours. 

Neighbour felt targeted

The h2o weapon incidental was part of a "mob mentality" against him and his family, Rochester said. Leading up to the incident, he'd chosen not to prosecute with a radical of neighbours, including Washik. 

Rochester said he's been called radical slurs and feels similar helium and his household person been targeted. He's called constabulary astir 14 times successful caller years, and said officers have encouraged him to proceed reporting issues. 

WATCH | Security footage shows events starring up to h2o weapon incident, arrest: 

In the footage, Washik is seen walking implicit to Rochester portion he's mounting up his lawnmower connected his beforehand lawn. She is heard saying "Hey, how's it going?" 

Rochester doesn't look to respond and begins mowing while Washik watches him for respective minutes, occasionally waving.

"It was precise unusual and creepy," helium told CBC on Sept. 28, 2024.  

Then, a lad crosses from the different broadside of the thoroughfare and Washik appears to inquire him for a h2o gun, making a flicking question with her hands successful the absorption of Rochester. 

The footage doesn't seizure the broadside of the house, wherever Rochester alleged helium was intentionally sprayed.

Police get connected country soon aft and are determination for astatine slightest 20 minutes talking to Washik and others. 

In the background, a antheral is heard swearing and yelling astatine Rochester that he's a coward. Washik besides swears and yells an insult directed astatine Rochester's house. 

"I've ne'er spoken to him different than to accidental 'hi' and beryllium ignored," Washik previously told CBC successful effect to Rochester's mentation of events. "We're suffering a batch for a small spot of water." 

In the months that followed, Washik raised implicit $7,000 to wage for her ineligible fees, according to a fundraising website.