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Posted on 08/20/2025 12:46:43 AM PDT by Morgana
A Florida man repeatedly used his sprinkler system to hose down special needs children as they got on and off their school bus, police have said.
Antonio Roman, 61, was arrested by deputies with Marion County Sheriff's Office after repeatedly using the sprinkler system on the family next door to him in Ocala.
Officials say he intentionally activated the sprinklers twice daily, when his two victims departed for school and again when they returned.
Deputies said the father of the children had to resort to wearing a swim suit to shield his children, who use wheelchairs, from the repeat behavior.
Footage obtained by WFTV shows the sprinklers activating as two of the children are being wheeled out to the bus.
One of the sprinklers appears to rotate round to soak the child and their father as they are pushed onto the bus.
Police say the neighbors had advised them that such behavior had been ongoing since August 8 of last year.
A detective sat and watched the property and found he was using a surveillance system to activate the sprinklers which were aimed directly at the bus.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
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Okay I am on the homeowners side on this one.
why doesn't the school board move the bus stop? It's not like those are his kids the bus is picking up.
Plus if the wheelchair ramp somehow damages his drive way will the county pay for damages? We know the answer and it's yes but it will be like pulling teeth by way of a lawsuit. Plus since the ramp uses his driveway I understand he does now want people trespassing on his property.
The county should have moved the stop to where these kids lived and picked them up there.
As for the sprinkler system. It's his yard and they were on it.
I agree.
They’re plenty of ways to handle this situation before turning the sprinklers on two disabled children, the two children had nothing to do with choosing the location of the bus stop but he put them on the receiving end of what is in effect bullying, a 61-year old man hosing down two disabled children is hardly the actions of being a good neighbor
I don’t see how it’s proper to punish disabled children as your response especially when the children didn’t choose to be disabled or the bus stop
So many better ways he could have handled this... He chose none of them and took it out on the children who had no control of the situation at all? He’s lucky they weren’t my kids, he would have been answering to me.
Maybe the homeowner has a point about the bus stop but you don’t take it out on two disabled children in wheelchairs by hosing them down
It’s to my understanding the county would not move the bus stop for what ever reason. Does he sound like a cranky old man? Yes. However he’s old and that gives him the right to be a cranky old man.
The parents of those disabled children should have called the board and said “we need this stop moved, it is currently at the home of a cranky old man. Please move it to our home”.
61 is hardly a cranky old man, this particular incident took place in an upscale neighborhood based on the fact its a gated community
Like I said they’re a bunch of ways to handle this situation besides hosing down two disabled children
BTW, Florida schools have been back in session less than 10 days, most schools in Florida started on August 11
The man obviously thought about the situation because he took the time to redirect his sprinkler system and had according to the article surveillance pointed in the direction of the bus stop to know when to start the sprinkler system
Sounds to me like the guy was a A-hole
It appears that he’s not a racist, so he’s got at least that going for him.
Why do I suspect this was going on last year? I could be wrong.
Either way just going by the article and it says they would not move the stop. So you tell me what “choice” he had?
I know had it been me I would have parked my car in front of my driveway, or at the very end of the driveway so the bus could not stop there and unload the wheelchair ramp.
What could he have done?? How about nothing and having compassion for two disabled kids just trying to get to school
He’s apparently sprayed people walking by his house on his side of the street and kids on Halloween, not just the bus stop or the kids and their father. It appears his residence is actually in the Bronx and he claims a homestead exemption for this house in Ocala. Might be a case of mortgage fraud. Issues between many neighbors and him and his wife. Looks like he’s got a surveillance system and might be remotely activating the sprinkler system when he sees people near his property. Looking a lot like he’s the problem.
Really? This guy is an ass. Kids in a wheelchair? I’m not in favor of criminal prosecution I think the police should have just warned him.
First off, there is no ramp, the school bus is equipped with a wheelchair lift and it certainly won't damage his property since they are loading it from the street, which is not his property.
Anybody supporting this moron's actions is an idiot.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=do+school+buses+have+wheel+chair+ramps#fpstate=ive&imgdii=t1H_gnSp3XXgDM&imgrc=pJl6I8XOx9ndrM&vld=cid:a562f669,vid:7xX6vnB_OGY,st:0
This video shows more, the sprinklers are aimed beyond his property, even hitting the street, plus he seems to be a bit of a nut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KurLZwF7nf8
“his residence is actually in the Bronx “
Hahahahaha!
The guy’s actually an arsehole, so there’s that for ya.
If the wheelchair kids had lithium ion powered chairs, got hit by water, burst into flames, and rolled back into the house, as the kids safely got off the chairs, and burnt the phoookers house to the ground, would anyone care?
Just asking.
Well ok, the homeowner has a point ,but he went about it the wrong way. The special needs children had nothing to do with it. For that he should be flogged.
I agree that the stop should be moved. Why is it in front of his house! But....he took the wrong approach. If he had tried to get the stop moved going through channels, he might have garnered a bit of empathy.
The man needs God in his life!
Being an azzhole should hurt. He doesn’t own that part of the yard.
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