Man accused of spraying disabled children with sprinklers at bus stop

Deputies say Antonio Roman targeted students in wheelchairs more than 400 times with his home sprinkler system.

OCALA, Florida (CNN/WESH)- A Marion County man is facing multiple charges after deputies say he repeatedly turned on his home’s sprinkler system to drench children with disabilities waiting for a school bus.

Antonio Roman was arrested after parents reported he intentionally activated sprinklers when two disabled students were boarding their bus in his Ocala neighborhood. Kevin Martin, the father of a 17-year-old daughter who uses a wheelchair, said the behavior had been ongoing for years.

Lt. Paul Bloom with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said the conflict stemmed from the bus lowering a wheelchair ramp that partially extended toward Roman’s driveway. “Not that he was trying to leave or that he was trying to do anything. It was just there,”Bloom said.

According to an incident report, Roman’s sprinklers turned on like clockwork each morning and afternoon when the bus arrived and shut off when it left. Martin told investigators it happened at least 400 times.

At one point, Martin said he resorted to wearing swim trunks and a T-shirt, standing in front of his children to shield them from the spray.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office later conducted an undercover operation, sending a deputy in an unmarked car. The deputy reported witnessing the sprinklers turn on as the school bus arrived and turn off once it departed.

Sheriff’s officials said Roman showed “zero percent compassion” for the children. “We thought the best thing to do was bring him here and give him a lot of other neighbors inside of a jail cell,” Bloom said.

Roman now faces charges including abuse of a disabled adult and harassment.