AirRaid[_2_]
February 6th 07, 04:12 PM
Astronaut charged with kidnap attempt
By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. - A NASA astronaut charged with attempting to kidnap a
romantic rival in a love triangle with another astronaut was allowed
to go free on bail Tuesday on the condition that she not contact the
alleged victim.
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The judge told Lisa Marie Nowak she could be released on $15,500 bond,
then asked if she understood the conditions. She responded "yes."
Nowak, a married mother of three, stood in a jail uniform, looking
down during most of the hearing. She planned to return home to
Houston, and the judge ordered her to wear a tracking device.
The 43-year-old robotics specialist faces charges including attempted
kidnapping, attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of
evidence and battery.
Police said she drove 900 miles, donned a disguise and was armed with
a BB gun and pepper spray when she confronted a woman she believed was
a competitor for the affections of Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, an
unmarried fellow astronaut.
Nowak rode aboard Discovery in July. Oefelein, 41, piloted the space
shuttle Discovery in December. They trained together but never flew
together.
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 found a love letter to Oefelein in her
car.
According to authorities, Nowak believed another woman, Colleen
Shipman, was romantically involved with Oefelein. When Nowak found out
Shipman was flying to Orlando from Houston, Nowak decided to confront
her early Monday, according to the arrest affidavit.
Nowak raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers in the car so she
wouldn't have to stop to go to the bathroom, authorities said.
Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry.
Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, she waited for Shipman's plane to
land and then boarded the same airport shuttle bus Shipman took to get
to her car, police said. 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, the statement said. Nowak then sprayed a
chemical into Shipman's car, the affidavit said. Shipman drove to the
parking lot booth and police were called.
An officer reported following Nowak and watching her throw away a bag
containing the wig and BB gun. Police 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.
Two other astronauts attended the hearing. Steve Lindsey, commander of
Nowak's Discovery flight last July, testified that Nowak would obey
the conditions of her release.
Chris Ferguson, a pilot on the mission, also attended the hearing.
Asked afterward about Nowak's behavior, Ferguson said "perplexed is
the word I'm sticking with."
Oefelein and Shipman, who the Houston Chronicle said worked at Patrick
Air Force Base near the
Kennedy Space Center, did not immediately return calls seeking
comment.
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.
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 Orlando police Sgt. Barbara Jones. "It's just really a
very sad case."
According to NASA's official biography, Nowak is a Naval Academy
graduate who has a master's degree in aeronautical engineering. She
has a teenage son and younger twin girls.
Oefelein has two children and began his aviation career as a teenager
flying floatplanes in Alaska, according to a NASA biography. He
studied electrical engineering at Oregon State University and later
earned a master's degree in aviation systems at the University of
Tennessee Space Institute. He has been an astronaut since 1998.
___
Associated Press writers Kelli Kennedy and Jessica Gresko in Miami
contributed to this report.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070206/ap_on_re_us/astronaut_arrested
By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. - A NASA astronaut charged with attempting to kidnap a
romantic rival in a love triangle with another astronaut was allowed
to go free on bail Tuesday on the condition that she not contact the
alleged victim.
ADVERTISEMENT
The judge told Lisa Marie Nowak she could be released on $15,500 bond,
then asked if she understood the conditions. She responded "yes."
Nowak, a married mother of three, stood in a jail uniform, looking
down during most of the hearing. She planned to return home to
Houston, and the judge ordered her to wear a tracking device.
The 43-year-old robotics specialist faces charges including attempted
kidnapping, attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of
evidence and battery.
Police said she drove 900 miles, donned a disguise and was armed with
a BB gun and pepper spray when she confronted a woman she believed was
a competitor for the affections of Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, an
unmarried fellow astronaut.
Nowak rode aboard Discovery in July. Oefelein, 41, piloted the space
shuttle Discovery in December. They trained together but never flew
together.
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 found a love letter to Oefelein in her
car.
According to authorities, Nowak believed another woman, Colleen
Shipman, was romantically involved with Oefelein. When Nowak found out
Shipman was flying to Orlando from Houston, Nowak decided to confront
her early Monday, according to the arrest affidavit.
Nowak raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers in the car so she
wouldn't have to stop to go to the bathroom, authorities said.
Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry.
Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, she waited for Shipman's plane to
land and then boarded the same airport shuttle bus Shipman took to get
to her car, police said. 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, the statement said. Nowak then sprayed a
chemical into Shipman's car, the affidavit said. Shipman drove to the
parking lot booth and police were called.
An officer reported following Nowak and watching her throw away a bag
containing the wig and BB gun. Police 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.
Two other astronauts attended the hearing. Steve Lindsey, commander of
Nowak's Discovery flight last July, testified that Nowak would obey
the conditions of her release.
Chris Ferguson, a pilot on the mission, also attended the hearing.
Asked afterward about Nowak's behavior, Ferguson said "perplexed is
the word I'm sticking with."
Oefelein and Shipman, who the Houston Chronicle said worked at Patrick
Air Force Base near the
Kennedy Space Center, did not immediately return calls seeking
comment.
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.
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 Orlando police Sgt. Barbara Jones. "It's just really a
very sad case."
According to NASA's official biography, Nowak is a Naval Academy
graduate who has a master's degree in aeronautical engineering. She
has a teenage son and younger twin girls.
Oefelein has two children and began his aviation career as a teenager
flying floatplanes in Alaska, according to a NASA biography. He
studied electrical engineering at Oregon State University and later
earned a master's degree in aviation systems at the University of
Tennessee Space Institute. He has been an astronaut since 1998.
___
Associated Press writers Kelli Kennedy and Jessica Gresko in Miami
contributed to this report.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070206/ap_on_re_us/astronaut_arrested