US Astronaut Love Triangle Leads to Kidnap Attempt

ORLANDO, Fla.: Navy Capt Lisa Nowak, 43, has been charged with attempted kidnapping in a bizarre love triangle involving two US astronauts.

Late Monday Ms. Nowak, who flew to the international space station last year, drove 1000 miles from Houston, Texas, to Orlando International Airport on in Florida disguised in a wig and trench coat.

At the airport, Ms. Nowak followed Colleen Shipman, whom she thought a rival for the affections of space shuttle pilot Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein.

In disguise, Ms. Nowak boarded an airport shuttle with Ms. Shipman. At the airport parking lot, Ms. Shipman noticed someone following her, hurried to her car and locked the doors.

Ms. Nowak approached the car where she knocked on the windows, tried to open the doors and pleaded for a ride. Ms. Shipman cracked the car window when Ms. Nowak began to cry and was sprayed with pepper spray through the opening.

Ms. Shipman drove away and alerted airport security who called the police. Police followed Ms. Nowak and saw her dispose of a bag which contained the wig and a BB gun. When apprehended, Ms. Nowak was carrying another bag containing a steel mallet, a 4-inch folding knife, rubber tubing, $600 and garbage bags.

Police found Nowak's car at a nearby motel with a pepper spray package, an unused BB-gun cartridge, latex gloves, and an opened package for a buck knife. A love letter from Ms. Nowak to Mr. Oefelein, e-mails between Ms. Shipman and Mr. Oefelein and hand written directions to Ms. Shipman's home address were also recovered from the vehicle.

Ms. Nowak was arrested on Monday and charged with attempted vehicular burglary with battery, destruction of evidence, battery and attempted kidnapping according to an Orlando police affidavit.

Upon her arrest, Ms. Nowak told police that her relationship with Oefelein was "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship." She also stated that she had only intended to scare Ms. Shipman into disclosing her relationship with Mr. Oefelein and that she did not intend to harm her physically.

Ms. Nowak faces serious charges. If convicted of attempted kidnapping she could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

She is being held without bail and it is not known if she has an attorney.

NASA biographies list Lisa Nowak as married and mother of three children and William Oefelein as a single father of two children. The two trained together for their respective space flights but never flew together.

As of Monday, NASA spokesman James Hartsfield said Ms. Nowak's status with the organization had not changed but did not speculate beyond that. He also said he didn't remember the last time an astronaut was arrested.

Sources:

Kelli Kennedy and Jessica Gresko, Associated Press "Astronaut Is Charged With Kidnapping" February 6, 2007 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070206/ap_on_re_us/astronaut_arrested

Barbara Liston and Irene Klotz "U.S. police say astronaut tried to kidnap love rival" February 6, 2007 http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=2007-02-06T054804Z_01_N05320234_RTRIDST_0_OUKOE-UK-USA-ASTRONAUTS.XML&WTmodLoc=Oddly+Enough-C1-Headline-3

BBC News "Astronaut in 'love kidnap plot'" February 6, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6333975.stm

Mike Schneider, Associated Press "Astronaut charged with kidnap attempt" February 6, 2007 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/us/06astro.html?_r=1&oref=slogin