Astronaut charged with kidnap attempt

GardenStateGirlie · #1 02-06-2007, 07:15 AM

i saw this a few minutes ago on good morning america and its now popped up on yahoo news... i couldn't help but laugh...

Astronaut charged with kidnap attempt

ORLANDO, Fla. - An astronaut drove 900 miles and donned a disguise to confront a woman she believed was her rival for the affections of a space shuttle pilot, police said. She was arrested Monday and charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts.

U.S. Navy Capt. Lisa Nowak, 43, who flew last July on a shuttle mission to the international space station, was also charged with attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of evidence and battery. She was denied bail and is scheduled to make a court appearance Tuesday.

Police said Nowak drove from her home in Houston to the Orlando International Airport to confront Colleen Shipman.

Nowak believed Shipman was romantically involved with Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, a pilot during space shuttle Discovery's trip to the space station last December, police said.

Nowak told police that her relationship with Oefelein was "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship," according to an arrest affidavit. Police officers recovered a love letter to Oefelein in her car.

NASA spokesman James Hartsfield in Houston said that, as of Monday, Nowak's status with the astronaut corps remained unchanged.

"What will happen beyond that, I will not speculate," he said.

Hartsfield said he couldn't recall the last time an astronaut was arrested and said there were no rules against fraternizing among astronauts.

When she found out that Shipman was flying to Orlando from Houston, Nowak decided to confront her, according to the arrest affidavit. Nowak raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers so she wouldn't have to stop to urinate, authorities said.

Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry.

Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, Nowak boarded an airport bus that Shipman took to her car in an airport parking lot. Shipman told police she noticed someone following her, hurried inside the car and locked the doors, according to the arrest affidavit.

Nowak rapped on the window, tried to open the car door and asked for a ride. Shipman refused but rolled down the car window a few inches when Nowak started crying. Nowak then sprayed a chemical into Shipman's car, the affidavit said.

Shipman drove to the parking lot booth, and the police were called.

During a check of the parking lot, an officer followed Nowak and watched her throw away a bag containing the wig and BB gun. They also found a steel mallet, a 4-inch folding knife, rubber tubing, $600 and garbage bags inside a bag Nowak was carrying when she was arrested, authorities said.

Inside Nowak's vehicle, which was parked at a nearby motel, authorities uncovered a pepper spray package, an unused BB-gun cartridge, latex gloves and e-mails between Shipman and Oefelein. They also found a letter "that indicated how much Mrs. Nowak loved Mr. Oefelein," an opened package for a buck knife, Shipman's home address and hand written directions to the address, the arrest affidavit said.

Police said Nowak told them that she only wanted to scare Shipman into talking to her about her relationship with Oefelein and didn't want to harm her physically.

"If you were just going to talk to someone, I don't know that you would need a wig, a trench coat, an air cartridge BB gun and pepper spray," said Sgt. Barbara Jones, a spokeswoman for the Orlando Police Department. "It's just really a very sad case. ... Now she ends up finding herself on the other side of the law with some very serious charges."

If convicted of attempted kidnapping, Nowak could face a maximum of life in prison.

It was not immediately known whether Nowak had an attorney.

Oefelein and Shipman did not immediately return phone messages Monday night.

According to NASA's official biography, Nowak is married with three children. During her 13-day mission in July she operated the robotic arm during three spacewalks.

Oefelein is unmarried. He piloted the space shuttle Discovery in December. He has two children, according to a NASA biography.

Nowak and Oefelein were both first-time fliers during their shuttle missions last year. They trained together but never flew together.

SuzeQuze · #2 02-06-2007, 08:35 AM

This is so odd. She doesn't even have a real relationship with Oefelein? Good god woman, move on to another man!

GODDESS6 · #3 02-06-2007, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

This is so odd. She doesn't even have a real relationship with Oefelein? Good god woman, move on to another man!

exactly what i was thinking, whata nut!!!

~

gina · #4 02-06-2007, 09:38 AM

She gives the term "space cadet" a whole new meaning.

SuzeQuze · #5 02-06-2007, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gina

She gives the term "space cadet" a whole new meaning.

+10 for that!

ELIUD · #6 02-06-2007, 01:27 PM

You gotta have some serious hatred for someone if you're willing throw away such a prestigious career and continually piss yourself while doing it.

skcin · #7 02-06-2007, 01:56 PM

What.The.F*ck.

This is utterly bizarre. Hey, aren't astronauts supposed to be really smart & educated? I guess they don't have to be mentally stable.

BTW - i just read that she's being charged with attempted murder also.

They didn't teach this at Space Camp.

DavidMn · #8 02-06-2007, 02:06 PM

Maybe she can try out for the revival of Prisoner Cell Block H!

SuzeQuze · #9 02-06-2007, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skcin

What.The.F*ck.

This is utterly bizarre. Hey, aren't astronauts supposed to be really smart & educated? I guess they don't have to be mentally stable.

BTW - i just read that she's being charged with attempted murder also.

They didn't teach this at Space Camp.

They reportedly go through rigorous psych testing. One got by. Usually people that are that unstable show signs well before 43. I have a feeling the sh*t's gonna hit the fan on this one. We will hear all kinds of dirt on the guy, this woman's husband (she's married with 3 kids

) the other ho involved, and this woman's family of origin. There will probly be a TV movie as soon as the trial ends too. Crazy!

BombaySapphire3 · #10 02-06-2007, 03:32 PM

I kind of like Lisa ..the steel mallet and diaper ..If you're gonna do crazy you might as well do it right.

SuzeQuze · #11 02-06-2007, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

I kind of like Lisa ..the steel mallet and diaper ..If you're gonna do crazy you might as well do it right.

Dude, that chick was PREPARED. She just had bad aim with the pepper spray.

gldstwmn · #12 02-07-2007, 12:14 AM

So sad. I'd be willing to bet she's either bipolar or scizophrenic. This seems like more than just a case of OCD.

BlackWidow · #13 02-07-2007, 12:17 AM

Daphne Zuniga stars in Space Balls 2

GardenStateGirlie · #14 02-07-2007, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

So sad. I'd be willing to bet she's either bipolar or scizophrenic. This seems like more than just a case of OCD.

i was under the impression that before becoming an astronaut, one must go through a serious of mental and physical tests. if that's the case, nasa should probably look into changing it a bit...yikes.

GardenStateGirlie · #15 02-07-2007, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

They reportedly go through rigorous psych testing. One got by. Usually people that are that unstable show signs well before 43. I have a feeling the sh*t's gonna hit the fan on this one. We will hear all kinds of dirt on the guy, this woman's husband (she's married with 3 kids

) the other ho involved, and this woman's family of origin. There will probly be a TV movie as soon as the trial ends too. Crazy!

should have read this before i just replied. i thought the same thing but i guess not. like, YOU'RE AN ASTRONAUT! you're brilliant on a rocket-scientist level. but you're MENTAL? something just doesn't add up here.