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SIMCOE – Armed and harmful? With a baby’s water gun?
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That’s what is alleged towards 58-year-old instructional assistant Wendy Washik in a legal cost laid by the OPP after an incident throughout a Labour Day weekend barbecue at a neighbour’s dwelling.
No, this wasn’t April 1. It was Sept. 1, however simply as silly if the allegations are true.
“Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Norfolk County Detachment responded to a neighbour dispute on Woodway Path in Simcoe, Norfolk County,” stated an OPP information launch, including “it was decided that two people have been concerned in a dispute on the premises, ensuing within the sufferer being bodily assaulted.”
Whereas no accidents have been reported, police stated “one particular person was taken into custody with out incident” and charged with assault with a weapon.
A gun, knife, hammer, tire iron, pipe bomb?
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The information launch didn’t specify the weapon. What it actually didn’t say was it was allegedly a usually benign, vibrant plastic water soaker you see in backyards throughout the nation.
In my 40 years as a reporter, I’ve by no means seen an assault with a weapon cost allegedly for a water gun squirt. It’s a brand new one – proper up there with the time bylaw officers threatened to close down a lady’s lemonade stand in Barrie.
It’s nuts.
Meet Washik and also you see how foolish this complete factor is.
“It was a compete accident. I didn’t even see the person,” Washik claimed in an interview Wednesday. “I used to be simply making an attempt to entertain a bored child of about 10 by chasing him with a water gun that was on the social gathering.”
Washik stated he ran out of the gate of the home and “somewhat squirt went out, below a wire fence, and hit the person mowing his garden within the chest.”
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She stated she apologized instantly.
“Immediately, I instructed the person I used to be so sorry, however he wasn’t having any of it and went in the home to name police,” she claims.
Police responded and instructed her she was going to be charged criminally.
“All of us thought they’d interview everyone, however they simply charged me,” stated Washik.
Police issued the paperwork however didn’t handcuff her.
“I’m nonetheless in a state of shock,” she stated. “It has been disturbing.”
Saying she has by no means been earlier than the courts earlier than and has by no means had any interplay with the person who additionally lives on Woodway Tr., Washik stated she is overwhelmed. She has been positioned on paid depart from her job in Brantford and hopes to return to it if she is acquitted of the cost.
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With all the shootings involving actual weapons, stabbings like those Thursday in Kingston, carjackings, organized crime, terrorism, homicide and drug conflict points, it’s exhausting to think about the OPP losing time with this. Neighbours who have been there instructed the Toronto Solar the entire thing was ridiculous. Even a retired OPP officer, who was within the yard, instructed me he can’t imagine police took it this far.
A GoFundMe marketing campaign set as much as increase funds to assist Washik along with her authorized charges had raised greater than $11,000 by Thursday afternoon, however she stated the GoFundMe was subsequently frozen due to the continuing legal case towards her.
A brand new on-line fundraiser has since been arrange on GiveSendGo.
“Wendy is an unbelievable mom to 2, an avid church attendee. Her occupation requires enduring disturbing, generally painful days as an schooling assistant working with kids with developmental disabilities,” the GiveSendGo web page states. “Wendy Washik is an excellent instance of a great citizen inside the group and it’s outrageous that she has been burdened with these slanderous accusations.”
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However larger than the monetary price of a authorized defence and the stress of being charged after a yard social gathering is the query of why the OPP would take this seemingly excessive motion?
Neighbours claimed police have been known as to the complainant’s dwelling to research different studies from him and that officers have been on the man’s residence 90 minutes after the squirt gun incident to take care of a separate grievance.
Nevertheless, police didn’t verify these claims by neighbours.
The person’s dwelling had many safety cameras seen and several other indicators saying, “No canine,” and, “No trespassing,” which the Solar honoured. The Solar provides him the chance to inform his aspect of the story in a follow-up – ought to he want to clarify it from his perspective.
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In the meantime, OPP Const. Andrew Gamble stated in a press release “each state of affairs is exclusive. The OPP’s position is to research the circumstances within the full context of the decision for service and decide the most effective plan of action in accordance with its legislated obligations.”
The Solar requested for an image of the weapon allegedly used within the “assault” – one thing police routinely submit in information releases once they seize weapons in raids or roadside stops. However they declined this time.
“It will be inappropriate for the OPP to touch upon particular particulars to guard the integrity of the investigation and any ensuing court docket processes,” stated Gamble, including “everybody has a proper to a protected setting. The OPP is dedicated to serving its communities by maintaining the peace and preserving public security.”
After all, none of that is Gamble’s doing. He’s the media spokesperson on this case and never the investigating officer. And whereas it’s true the fees towards Washik haven’t been examined in court docket, solely in court docket can it’s decided what occurred.
Nevertheless, if this was simply an unintended squirt from a water gun, then it’s solely honest that the Crown lawyer step in and toss these expenses.
There shouldn’t be arrests or trials stemming from a water-gun combat. Generally it’s the system that’s armed and harmful and never the individual charged.
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