Lost in Space

ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- A NASA astronaut charged with pepper-spraying and trying to kidnap a romantic rival was granted bail Tuesday, but her release was delayed after police announced they were filing an attempted murder charge against her, a corrections department spokesman said.

Nowak's attorney, Donald Lykkebak, told the judge that his client has an "exemplary record of commitment" and should be released without bond. "At times like this, judge, one's good works must count for something," Lykkebak said.

Nowak drove almost 1,000 miles from Houston, Texas, to Orlando on Monday to confront Shipman about her alleged relationship with Oefelein, according to a police report.

Nowak wore a diaper during the 14-hour drive so that she wouldn't have to stop for bathroom breaks, the report said. Astronauts wear what NASA calls maximum-absorbency garments to collect their waste during space travel.

As Shipman walked to her car she noticed a woman in a trench coat who appeared to be following her, the police report said. She quickly jumped into her car and heard "running footsteps" behind her, Shipman told police.

Nowak slapped the window of the car as Shipman locked it, the report said. Nowak then tried to open the car door, saying that her ride had not arrived.

Shipman told Nowak she would send for help, but when Nowak said she couldn't hear her and started to cry, Shipman cracked her window, the report said. The 2-inch space in the window was all Nowak needed to send pepper spray into the car, police said.

Police found in Nowak's bag a tan trench coat, a new steel mallet, a folding knife with a 4-inch blade, 3 to 4 feet of rubber tubing, large plastic garbage bags and about $600 in cash, the report said.

Nowak told police she didn't intend to harm Shipman and "that she only wanted to scare Ms. Shipman into talking with her," a police report said. Asked about the BB gun, Nowak told police it "was going to be used to entice Ms. Shipman to talk with her," the report said.

---- What a role model eh? Married, mother of 3, her "good works" count for little when midlife she confuses "romantic" rivalry with criminal horniness. Good job NASA with those psychological tests. If Nowak were Black or poor white, clerking at Quik Pick, and plotted such a scene she would still be in a cell waiting for a court appointed attorney with the neighborhood gossiping "darlin' that silly diaper wearin' bitch has always been crazy 'nuf to do somethin' like that."