NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak, whose legendary persistence launched her from Rockville to the U.S. Naval Academy and into space last year, was charged Tuesday with plotting to kidnap and kill a romantic rival.
Orlando police said the 43-year-old married mother of three raced from Houston to Florida to confront the woman she believed was dating a fellow astronaut, William Oefelein.
Nowak wore diapers used by astronauts to drive the 950 miles without taking a bathroom break so she could challenge Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman at the Orlando International Airport, police said.
Disguised in a wig, dark glasses and trench coat, Nowak followed Shipman to Shipman’s car. Nowak tapped on the car window but was unable to get in. Nowak began to cry and when Shipman cracked the window, the astronaut doused her with pepper spray.
Shipman sped away, and an officer followed Nowak and watched her throw away a bag containing the wig and a BB gun. Police also said they found a steel mallet, a 4-inch knife, rubber tubing, rubber gloves, $600 in cash, love letters all in bags inside in Nowak’s car.
A judge held Nowak in jail Tuesday on first-degree attempted murder and attempted kidnapping charges.
Nowak told police she was involved in a “less than a romantic” relationship with Oefelein, according to an arrest affidavit. The astronauts had trained together but did not go up in space together.
Nowak’s parents, Alfredo and Jane Caputo, who still live in Rockville, could not be reached Tuesday.
Nowak was born in the District, and in 1981 became the class valedictorian at Charles W. Woodward High School, which was later merged into Walter Johnson High School. Nowak graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering.It took her six attempts to get into the Navy Test Pilot School before becoming one of seven astronauts aboard the Discovery space shuttle last July.
Last year, after spending 13 days in orbit, Nowak returned to Rockville to talk to Tilden Middle School students about reaching their goals.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
