Washik, 58, told The Canadian Press earlier this month that she was having a playful water gun fight with a child during a neighbourhood gathering when she accidentally sprayed Rochester in the chest.
Washik said that, despite her apologies, he called police. After Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) arrived, Washik said the officers didn’t ask her “a single question” and charged her with assault with a weapon. But Rochester’s security footage appears to show a different version of events.
Around 6 p.m. ET, Rochester is setting up his lawnmower on his front lawn when Washik walks over, the footage appears to show. No other people can be seen.
She stands at the end of his lawn and is heard saying, “Hey, how’s it going?”
Rochester doesn’t appear to respond and begins mowing his lawn while Washik watches him for several minutes, occasionally waving.
“It was very strange and creepy,” he told CBC.
Then, a boy crosses from the other side of the street and Washik appears to ask him for a water gun, making a flicking motion with her hands in the direction of Rochester.
The footage doesn’t capture the side of the house, where Rochester alleges he was intentionally sprayed.
I have to say that hearing this story initially, then reading this update has made me question how I might jump to conclusions.
The security footage sounds really damning. In the least, it proves the woman lied about the police not talking to her. Her and the neighbors cursing at the guy suddenly makes the “neighbors agree this guy just complains a lot” fact a lot more suspect.
In all, I can totally see this might be a case of racist neighbors, and not simply “police charge teaching assistant with a water gun with assault.”
I’m glad the CBC is revisiting the story now that they have the other side.
You can see the security footage for yourself in the video linked in the article
Maybe I’m a big fucking prude but this does sound like harrassment to me. It sounds like a bunch of racist neighbors trying to bully and make a problem out of this guy.
Jeez this completely changes everything. I went from thinking what a waste of police and court house resources to 100% agreeing with the victim’s decision to call the police.
The woman who has been harassing the man and his family saying she would only ever say “Hi” to him, and he would ignore her, as though that’s some sort of crime. Gives me “men catcalling women in the street and then getting pissed when the women ignore them” vibes.
That guy doesn’t owe her entitled ass a Hello or Hi. Especially if he and his family have been continually harassed. But even then if someone doesn’t want to respond to you that’s their right.
He should be able to mow his damn lawn without some dickhead neighbour staring him down and making him uncomfortable. It’s like she was intentionally trying to provoke him into a reaction.
I have to admit that I was on the water gun sprayer’s side when I first read the story. In hindsight, her “accidentally sprayed him in the chest” explanation definitely sounded weird and I guess I should have questioned it more.
The context and security footage change everything. Poor guy. Sounds like he’s the current victim of an expert bully and manipulator.
Yeah, if that’s what the footage shows then she appears to be at fault here, and a liar to boot. “Assault with a weapon” may be a little too heavy to stick, but hopefully some lesser charge will.
Article says the charge was changed to “assault”
I don’t think the original story would’ve blown up if that was what she was initially charged with.
I’m feeling totally vindicated with my “this seems like a pretty one sided story” take from when this first surfaced.
