LA PLATA, Md. — A woman is facing multiple misdemeanor charges after police say she was found yelling and behaving erratically outside a closed business on Crain Highway in La Plata, later admitting she had just smoked crack cocaine.
According to charging documents filed in Charles County District Court, Sgt. John Piersa of the La Plata Police Department was dispatched around 6:07 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, to Apple Spice Junction, 6750 Crain Highway, for a report of a woman screaming outside the building.
A caller from a nearby dance studio told police the woman was shouting and chanting across the street, drawing the attention of parents and students and prompting a 911 call out of concern for children’s safety.
When Sgt. Piersa arrived, he observed a woman seated in the outdoor dining area talking loudly to herself. She was later identified as Heather Elaine Whaley, 31, of La Plata.
Piersa reported that Whaley was “rapidly rambling about the military and CIA” and that her responses to questions were incoherent and unrelated. While speaking with her, officers noticed a glass stem with a burnt edge and a copper filter, which Piersa recognized from his training and experience as a crack pipe. Whaley also held a torch-style lighter, which police said is commonly used to heat the pipe for smoking crack cocaine.
When questioned, Whaley admitted she had just smoked crack cocaine, and told officers it was “okay because she was in a public, private place,” according to the report.
Piersa, a certified Drug Recognition Expert, documented that Whaley’s pupils were dilated—a condition known as mydriasis—and that she displayed symptoms of stimulant use, including euphoria, hyperactivity, excited speech and increased alertness. He noted her muscle tone was rigid during the arrest, another indicator of stimulant impairment.
Police also found a cellophane cigarette wrapper in Whaley’s pants pocket containing a trace amount of white powdery residue, suspected to be crack cocaine.
While being taken into custody, Whaley reportedly made several unusual statements, including suggesting she and the officer could communicate telepathically and asking if she could have her crack pipe back at the detention center.
Whaley was arrested and transported to the Charles County Detention Center for processing. She was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (not cannabis), possession of drug paraphernalia, disturbing the peace (loud noise) and public intoxication and disturbance, all misdemeanors.
A court commissioner initially ordered her held without bond on Nov. 7. She was released on her own recognizance following a bail review hearing on Nov. 10 before Judge Robert C. Wilcox.
A trial is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2026, at 1 p.m. in Charles County District Court.
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