Walmart self checkout mistake destroys Olympic athlete’s career

Meaggan Pettipiece, a former Olympian and NCAA Division 1 softball coach, has faced significant upheaval in her life following an incident at a Walmart self-checkout in Indiana. On March 28, Pettipiece unintentionally failed to scan $67 worth of groceries, which led to her arrest for theft, possession of marijuana, and possession of a controlled substance.

The 48-year-old athlete, who represented Canada at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and served as an alternate in 2004, had already paid for $167 worth of items when she mistakenly overlooked a few products, including asparagus and ham.

Walmart security alerted the police after noticing the unpaid items, prompting an investigation that uncovered three disposable vapes and two unopened packs of Zofran, an anti-nausea medication. Pettipiece explained that the vapes contained neither nicotine nor THC and that the medication belonged to an assistant coach who had asked her to carry it.

Despite the charges being dropped on September 19, Pettipiece has endured significant professional fallout. She resigned from her position as head coach of the Valparaiso Beacons softball team less than a week after her arrest, following a wave of negative media attention.

“It’s been five months, a living nightmare,” she lamented. “I lost my career, I lost my job, the life I was building, and it’s been really difficult.”

Pettipiece’s coaching career, which included stints at various colleges in Michigan, Ohio, and California, had positioned her as a respected figure in collegiate athletics. However, the incident has left a lasting mark on her reputation. She described the experience as “bittersweet,” expressing relief at the dismissal of the charges but sorrow for the damage inflicted on her career.

Now considering her future, Pettipiece has not ruled out a return to sports, potentially as a collegiate softball umpire. For the time being, she plans to focus on her family while contemplating her next steps. “I’m not sure of the future,” she said. “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.”