Olympian’s life ‘ruined’ after Walmart incident involving asparagus and ham

Olympic softball player Meaggan Pettipiece claims her career and life was ruined after an arrest over an accidental shoplifting incident at Walmart led to her losing her coaching job and tarnishing her reputation.
The Canadian athlete, who competed in the 2000 Sydney Games and was an alternate in 2004, was charged with theft and drug possession on March 28 in Indiana for purportedly not scanning ham and asparagus, followed by a search that turned up vapes and Zofran in her purse.
However, investigations proved that the vapes contained no illegal substances and the medication belonged to her colleague. Although charges have been dropped, Pettipiece has suffered professionally, being ousted from her position as head coach for Valparaiso University’s Division 1 softball team.
In an interview with the National Post, Pettipiece lamented: “It is bittersweet. I’m happy, obviously, the charges were dismissed. But the sad part is the damage it did to my career. It has changed everything in my life. It’s been five months, a living nightmare. I lost my career, I lost my job, the life I was building and it’s been really difficult.”
The D1 head coach had covered the cost of all other items, shelling out $167 at Walmart, prior to police identifying that $67 worth of goods, including ham and asparagus, remained unpaid for.
Pettipiece insisted she was completely unaware that some items hadn’t been scanned and didn’t question the total when checking out.
Following her arrest, a search of her car unearthed vapes and prescription drugs, with her assistant, who owned the meds, admitting they had overlooked their presence in the vehicle.
After navigating legal troubles, Pettipiece stepped down from her position on April 1, expressing gratitude to those who supported her throughout the ordeal.
She reflected: “The softball community is a tightknit group and it (the news) went through like wildfire. You really do learn who the people are that really believe in you and trust you and are truly a friend for you.”