Orlando (Florida) A NASA astronaut was on Monday arrested on battery and attempted kidnapping charges after allegedly trying to subdue a romantic rival with pepper spray and abduct her from a parking lot at Orlando International Airport, police said.
Navy Capt. Lisa Marie Nowak, who was a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Discovery in July, and Colleen Shipman were both reported to be "in a relationship" with astronaut Bill Oefelein, a Navy commander, according to a police report of the incident.
Nowak, 43, has been charged with battery, attempted kidnapping, attempted burglary to a vehicle and destruction of evidence. Police have recommended Nowak be held without bond.
According to the report, she told police that her relationship with Oefelein was "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship."
Nowak drove from Houston, Texas, to Orlando to meet Shipman, who was flying the same route, to talk with the woman about her alleged relationship with Oefelein, the report said.
Shipman is an engineer assigned to the 45th Launch Support Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base, near the Kennedy Space Center.
Police: Woman feared for safety
Shipman told police that she arrived at the airport at about 0100 hrs but had to wait two hours for her luggage to arrive.
Once she retrieved her bags, she said she took a bus to the lot where her car was parked, noticing a woman wearing a trench coat who appeared to be following her.
Fearing for her safety, Shipman quickly stepped into her car, the police report said, adding that she reported hearing "running footsteps" behind her.
Shipman closed and locked her car door as Nowak slapped the window of the car and tried to open the car door, the report said.
Nowak told Shipman her ride had not arrived and asked for help, but Shipman refused, saying she would send help instead.
When Nowak complained she couldn't hear Shipman and started to cry, Shipman opened her car window "about 2 inches" and Nowak sprayed pepper spray into the car, police said.
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