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I've heard this and perhaps we can get some other comments ...

Why could not the crew have been offloaded to the space station with one taking a spare suit to the orbiter and then taking them back and repeating the process? ... obviously last man off the shuttle might present a drift problem but it seems to me the shuttle could have been evacuated ... maybe not save the orbiter, maybe put it in some sort of orbit (don't know how long it can stay up at altitude) ...

if this is true, it doesn't sound good for the next set of shuttle astronauts, if they can't evac to the space station, given it would be cramped and short on supplies ...

No way to reach the Space Station, which is in a much higher orbit and in an orbit at a much higher declination. Columbia's fuel tank was empty and thrown away 2 weeks earlier. The Space Station has no engines for moving to different orbits either.

In order for bodies such as satellites, the space station, or the shuttle to remain in orbit and not fall into the earth they have to move at some pretty high speeds (angular velocity) around the planet. In effect, the force of gravity has to equal the centrifugal force resultant from the angular velocity of the body. That velocity is about mach 20 for the shuttle, less for lighter objects or for those farther from the planet, and more for heavier ones or those closer to the planet.

Now, the space station and the shuttle were not travelling in orbits which were at identical angles to the equator. That means that, in order to bring them in line with each other, another set of forces must be overcome.. Try this with the front wheel of a bicycle: Remove the wheel. Hold it at it's axis with both hands. Have someone spin it. Now try to change the angle of the axis (move one end but not the other). You'll get enormous forces resisting you.

Once you're in orbit it's very expensive to change that orbit, especially your angle with the equator..