Unsolicited Parenting Advice At La Plata Wawa Leads To Felony Assault Charge

LA PLATA, Md. — A La Plata woman is facing felony assault and disorderly conduct charges after La Plata police alleged she became involved in a confrontation with another customer inside a Wawa convenience store during which investigators alleged she shouted profanities, made physical contact and disrupted business operations, according to court documents.

Catherine Mary Littlejohn, 52, of La Plata, was charged in the District Court for Charles County with first-degree assault, second-degree assault and disorderly conduct following her arrest July 17, 2026. Court records show she was released on her own recognizance after her arrest.

According to the statement of probable cause, officers with the La Plata Police Department responded at approximately 6:58 p.m. July 17 to the Wawa located at 5955 Crain Highway in La Plata after receiving a report of an assault in progress involving two customers.

When officers arrived, they found Littlejohn outside the business, where investigators said she was yelling loudly enough to be heard through the store’s glass entrance. An officer made contact with Littlejohn, who continued yelling while officers attempted to interview her. According to charging documents, numerous customers and employees looked toward the disturbance as it unfolded.

Investigators also spoke with the other customer, who reported that Littlejohn had approached him inside the store after he entered with his children. According to court documents, Littlejohn allegedly made comments about his children not moving out of her way before the verbal exchange escalated.

Littlejohn told officers that the man chest-bumped her and got into her face. She repeatedly told officers to “check the security cameras.”

A Wawa employee who witnessed the incident told investigators she observed the argument and saw Littlejohn bump the man’s chest before he stepped backward to create distance. According to the witness, Littlejohn then began yelling inside the store.

Investigators reviewed the store’s surveillance footage, which allegedly showed Littlejohn entering the business and speaking to children before approaching the man. According to charging documents, the video showed Littlejohn walking toward him, exchanging words and then intentionally bumping her chest into him in what officers described as an aggressive manner. The man was seen stepping backward. He later told investigators that Littlejohn spat on him during the confrontation.

After interviewing witnesses and reviewing the surveillance footage, officers identified Littlejohn as the primary aggressor, according to court documents. As police attempted to escort her to a patrol vehicle, court documents state she continued yelling loudly, drawing the attention of additional customers and employees inside the Wawa. Littlejohn was arrested and transported to the Charles County Detention Center.

According to court records, Littlejohn is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Aug. 12, 2026, in Charles County District Court.

---