The former Olympian's life has become a “living nightmare” after he was arrested for accidentally forgetting to scan two items at a self-checkout and lost his prestigious job as an NCAA Division I softball coach.
Megan Pettypiece, 48, was the head coach of the Valparaiso University softball team. On March 28, a man was spotted scanning groceries at a self-checkout counter at a Walmart in Indiana. National Post.
The machine reportedly didn't scan asparagus and ham Petite Piece I was going to buy it.
Walmart security officers called police after they noticed she hadn't scanned a total of $67 worth of items, even though she had paid $176 for other groceries.
Pettypiece, who claims he was unaware the machine had failed to read the items, was arrested.
During her arrest, police found three disposable e-cigarettes and two unopened blister packs of the anti-nausea drug Zofran in her purse.
According to the media report, the former softball player, who played as an outfielder for Canada's national team in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, was charged with theft, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance.
Pettypeace resigned as head coach of the Valparaiso softball team on April 1 after his arrest sparked furious reporting across Indiana.
The Ontario native said e-cigarettes do not contain nicotine or THC.
The anti-nausea medication belonged to an assistant coach who had asked Pettypeace to keep the medication in her purse during a softball game a few days before her arrest, police said.
“We both forgot about them,” the former All-American softball player told the outlet.
According to the outlet, Pettypeace's lawyers filed a dismissal application earlier this month which included her account of the incident, evidence of her assistant's prescriptions and a character reference letter.
After reading the application, the judicial authorities withdrew the charges against the former athlete on September 19th.
But the damage caused by the incident “changed everything” for Pettypiece's career.
“It's bittersweet,” she said. National Post“Obviously I'm happy the charges have been dismissed. What's sad is the damage it has done to my career. It's changed my whole life.”
Pettypeace said stepping down as head coach of the Division I softball program five months ago was a “living nightmare.”
“I lost my career, I lost my job, I lost the life I'd built and it was really hard,” Pettypeace said.
The California, Pennsylvania State University graduate said that along with the loss of his career, the damage to his reputation has been equally heartbreaking.
“The softball community is a tight-knit group, so (the news) spread fast,” Pettypiece told the outlet.
“You really find out who the people are that you believe in and trust and are really your friends,” Pettypeace said.
Pettypeace currently lives in Ohio with his family.
“It's nice to have my whole family back. They've all made sacrifices so I can continue my coaching career,” she said.
Although the charges against her were dropped, she still fears the damage is “irreparable.”
“The challenge is how to get people to understand that I'm innocent and that this was caused by something so stupid,” Pettypiece told the outlet.
“I don't know what the future holds. I'm just going to stay home and focus on my kids and see what direction I want to take.”
