Olympian’s life has been ‘a living nightmare’ over since-dismissed theft, drug charges from Walmart self-checkout debacle
A former Olympic athlete’s life has been “a living nightmare” since she says she accidentally failed to scan two items at a self-checkout machine — leading to her arrest and loss of her prestigious job as an NCAA Division 1 softball coach.
Meaggan Pettipiece, 48, was the head coach of the Valparaiso University softball team when she was scanning her groceries at a Walmart self-checkout machine in Indiana on March 28, according to the National Post.
The machine reportedly did not scan the asparagus and ham that Pettipiece meant to purchase.
Walmart security saw that she failed to scan the items — worth a total of $67 — prompting them to call the police despite her having paid $176 for her other groceries.
Pettipiece, who said she didn’t realize the machine did not read the items, was arrested.
During her arrest, police found she had three disposable vapes and two unopened blister packs containing the anti-nausea medication Zofran in her purse.
The former softball player — who played outfield for the Canadian national team in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic games — was charged with theft, possession of marijuana, and possession of a controlled substance, the outlet reported.
Pettipiece resigned as head coach for the Valparaiso softball team on April 1 following a firestorm of headlines that swept through the Hoosier State after her arrest.
The Ontario native said the vapes did not contain nicotine or THC.
The anti-nausea pills belonged to an assistant coach, who asked Pettipiece to hold them in her purse during a softball game days before she was arrested.
“We both forgot about them,” the former All-American softball player told the outlet.
Earlier this month, Pettipiece’s attorney submitted an application for dismissal that included her account of the incident, proof of her assistant’s prescription, and character reference letters, according to the outlet.
After reading the application, justice officials dropped the charges against the former athlete on Sept. 19.
However, the damage caused by the incident “changed everything” for Pettipiece’s career.
“It is bittersweet,” she told National Post. “I’m happy, obviously, the charges were dismissed. The sad part is the damage it did to my career. It has changed everything in my life.”
Pettipiece said her resignation as head coach of the Division 1 softball program five months ago has been “a living nightmare.”
“I lost my career, I lost my job, the life I was building and it’s been really difficult,” Pettipiece said.
Along with her career derailment, the California University of Pennsylvania alumni said the damage to her reputation has been equally heartbreaking.
“The softball community is a tightknit group and it (the news) went through like wildfire,” Pettipiece told the outlet.
“You really do learn who the people are that really believe in you and trust you and are truly a friend for you,” Pettipiece said.
Pettipiece is now living in Ohio with her family.
“I’m happy my family’s all back together. We sacrificed as a family for me to be there coaching and continuing my coaching career,” she said.
Though the charges against her have been dismissed, she still fears the damage “can’t be reversed.”
“The tough thing is, how do you get out to people that you are innocent? And this damage was done for something so ridiculous,” Pettipiece told the outlet.
“I’m not sure of the future. For now, I’m going to stay at home and focus on my kids. I’d like to figure out which direction I’m going to go in.”
