Post by: 280plus on February 06, 2007, 01:20:17 AM
Mon Feb 5, 9:48 PM ET
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Disguised in a dark wig, glasses and a trench coat, U.S. space shuttle astronaut Lisa Nowak waited in hiding for a woman she considered a rival for another astronaut's affections and tried to kidnap her, police in Orlando said on Monday.
Nowak, 43, was arrested on charges including battery and attempted kidnapping, according to an Orlando police affidavit.
She told police she drove from Houston to the Orlando International Airport to confront Colleen Shipman, who Nowak considered a rival for the attentions of fellow astronaut Bill Oefelein, the affidavit said.
Nowak, a married flight engineer with three children, was awaiting her next flight assignment after traveling aboard the shuttle Discovery in July 2006.
Oefelein was part of a separate shuttle Discovery mission in December that continued construction on the International Space Station. The Orlando Sentinel described Shipman as a captain in the U.S. Air Force assigned to the 45th Launch Support Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base, near the Kennedy Space Center.
Around midnight on Monday, Nowak went to the airport disguised in a wig and trench coat, waited for Shipman's flight from Houston to arrive and then followed Shipman to the parking garage armed with pepper spray, a steel mallet and a BB gun, police said.
Nowak also carried black gloves, a folding knife with a 4-inch blade, rubber tubing and trash bags, police said.
In a taped statement given to police, Nowak described her connection to Oefelein as "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship."
'ONLY WANTED TO SCARE MS. SHIPMAN' - NOWAK
According to the affidavit, police were called at 3:50 a.m. by Shipman, who told them she had been followed from the airport to a satellite parking lot by a dark-haired woman in glasses, wearing a trench coat with a hood pulled over her head.
Shipman told police she could hear the woman's footsteps running after her, so she jumped into her car and locked the doors quickly.
The woman then pounded on Shipman's window, asked for a ride and then asked to use her cell phone. Shipman refused but rolled down her window just enough to be heard and was sprayed in the face by some sort of chemical that burned her eyes, according to the affidavit. Shipman was able to drive away to a toll booth for help.
The affidavit said police spotted Nowak dumping objects into a trash can at a nearby bus stop. Nowak was identified by Shipman.
In her statement to police, Nowak said she did not intend to physically harm Shipman, but "only wanted to scare Ms. Shipman into talking with her."
In a search of Nowak's car, police later found diapers that Nowak told them she wore so she wouldn't have to stop to urinate during her drive. They also discovered a letter describing how much Nowak loved Oefelein, e-mails from Shipman to Oefelein, directions to Shipman's house and receipts indicating Nowak paid only in cash during her trip from Houston, including for her hotel stay.
Police recommended Nowak be held without bail due to the detailed planning, disguises and weapons found in her possession.
Johnson Space Center spokesman James Hartsfield said, "As of now, her status at NASA is unchanged. I cannot speculate beyond that."
(Additional reporting by Irene Klotz in Cape Canaveral)
Post by: Dannyboy on February 06, 2007, 03:31:20 AM
Post by: SteveS on February 06, 2007, 03:41:26 AM
Post by: Manedwolf on February 06, 2007, 03:48:15 AM
Man. That's a freaky woman. The mug shot looks completely skanky and demented both.
Post by: RocketMan on February 06, 2007, 04:50:03 AM
Interesting, none-the-less.
Post by: Perd Hapley on February 06, 2007, 06:14:32 AM
Post by: crt360 on February 06, 2007, 08:42:48 AM
Post by: Sindawe on February 06, 2007, 09:35:24 AM
Quote
How do you explain that one to the kids?
Easy. Aliens abducted Mommy when she went into space and is the alien probe in her anus that is causing her erratic behaivor.
Post by: 280plus on February 06, 2007, 09:38:50 AM
Sounds like uranium of the cranium...
Un-bleepin'-believeable eh?
Post by: Manedwolf on February 06, 2007, 09:57:03 AM
Can you imagine being stuck with THAT on board for six months to a year?
Post by: Ben on February 06, 2007, 09:59:23 AM
Quote
Can you imagine being stuck with THAT on board for six months to a year?
Airlock
Post by: Perd Hapley on February 06, 2007, 10:02:03 AM
Post by: crt360 on February 06, 2007, 10:35:35 AM
Quote
In a taped statement given to police, Nowak described her connection to Oefelein as "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship."
So it was basically just a sexual relationship. Did she ride Oefelein's love rocket in space? That would probably be some kind of first - zero G space love and pioneering members of the 200 mile high club.
Post by: Matthew Carberry on February 06, 2007, 10:39:41 AM
Quote
Can you imagine being stuck with THAT on board for six months to a year?
Airlock
[clapping]
Post by: 280plus on February 06, 2007, 11:13:27 AM
Post by: mtnbkr on February 06, 2007, 11:18:24 AM
Chris
Post by: Leatherneck on February 06, 2007, 11:28:43 AM
TC
Post by: crt360 on February 06, 2007, 11:38:56 AM
Post by: erik the bold on February 06, 2007, 12:15:17 PM
Space Madness [/ren and stimpy]
Chris
Chris
Post by: richyoung on February 06, 2007, 12:16:24 PM
She wants a rocket ride! She wants a rocket ride!"
(wid a tip o da hat to Ace Frehley...)
Post by: Perd Hapley on February 06, 2007, 03:13:15 PM
I find it interesting because stalking or activity like this is considered more a man thing but it just goes to show you there are some seriously love crazed women out there too.
Of course, chick magnets like me already knew that.
Post by: Bogie on February 06, 2007, 04:20:13 PM
Post by: MillCreek on February 06, 2007, 04:42:02 PM
Post by: Perd Hapley on February 06, 2007, 04:50:40 PM
Hey... There's some seriously weird women out there... I actually had a stalker a few years back...
How did that escape media attention? I mean that's seriously out there.
Post by: Matthew Carberry on February 06, 2007, 05:13:51 PM
Incidentally, the male astronaut involved went to the same high school up here as I did. That's why I stay in Alaska, it wouldn't be fair to steal all your lower 48 women.
Post by: 280plus on February 07, 2007, 12:48:17 AM
Post by: Trisha on February 07, 2007, 12:48:40 PM
{{{shudder}}}
And she thought the flight evals were intrusive! Give it six months, she'll be praying for alien abduction.
Post by: Trisha on February 07, 2007, 01:43:32 PM
Anyone can snap.
From the movie, "What's your costume, Thursday?" "I'm a homicidal maniac - I look just like everybody else!"
Shrinks are purported to suffer from mental illnesses of indeterminate degrees. Does this mean that to those who evaluated her, this woman seemed completely normal to them - ergo, having a transparent/congruent illness?
Are there repurcussions to demanding flawless conformance to an artificial standard? The brass ring, getting to ride into space, could easily see anyone forget who they are, maybe?
Maybe this is proof that even astronauts are no less fallible than any other outstanding representatives of humanity - history probably has countless examples of the fallen hero. From Frank Herbert; "We did but build his pedestal, a narrow and a tall one."
Cheers.
Post by: gunsmith on February 07, 2007, 02:21:06 PM
Post by: DJJ on February 07, 2007, 03:45:45 PM
Just make sure she's the only dame on the ship. Could be very exciting for the gentlemen.
Oh, I don't know. Just make sure to take along a generous supply of Snickers.
Post by: Trisha on February 08, 2007, 08:18:30 AM
Post by: 280plus on February 08, 2007, 09:39:36 AM
Okay, Kathryn laughed at that so hard she spilt her coffee. . .
LOL, NOW we're getting somewhere! Hopefully she isn't on the "It only hurts when I laugh." program.
Post by: Matthew Carberry on February 08, 2007, 09:59:47 AM
Okay, Kathryn laughed at that so hard she spilt her coffee. . .
Is that an intentional "ell" in "spilt"?
Post by: Trisha on February 08, 2007, 04:42:31 PM
Spit & spilled = spilt
Post by: zahc on February 08, 2007, 06:55:21 PM
see you space cowboy...
Post by: JimMarch on February 08, 2007, 10:42:13 PM
http://bp2.blogger.com/_GInz1cbLYkU/Rbq_dcWtr2I/AAAAAAAAAP8/DnL3-Btxu4Y/s320/1168493522870.gif
Post by: Winston Smith on February 08, 2007, 10:47:22 PM
Post by: Trisha on February 09, 2007, 03:19:34 AM
If the cat didn't just slash them in their sleep!
Cat pee - a new clean-up variable for the housekeeping crew of the Vomit Comet.
(gagging)
Post by: 280plus on February 09, 2007, 03:24:13 AM