Arundel Report

Teens rob woman in home invasion

SEVERN - Two teenagers broke into a woman's house and robbed her at gunpoint yesterday evening, county police said.

The 27-year-old woman was inside her home in the 8200 block of Tomlinson Court in Severn about 5:40 p.m. when a teenage boy and girl walked through an open door.

The teenagers pointed a shotgun at the woman and ordered her to the ground, police said. They took cash from inside the house and ran out. The woman was not injured in the home invasion.

One of the robbers is black, 17 years old, 5-feet, 9-inches tall, with a thin build, police said. He was wearing dark jeans and a green jacket. Police said the girl is black, about 15 years old, 5-feet, 3-inches tall, with a thin build, fair skin, and braided or dreadlocked hair.

19-year-old charged in Severn shooting

SEVERN - A Prince George's County man was charged with attempted first-degree murder yesterday in connection with a shooting in Severn early Friday morning, county police said.

Officers were called to the 8200 block of Marlton Court at just after midnight. A man told police he was standing outside when he saw an orange-and-blue older model Chevrolet Caprice or Crown Victoria parked nearby.

He said a man in the car shot him in the hand and buttocks before driving off, police said. The man was taken by ambulance to Baltimore Washington Medical Center with serious injuries.

Detectives later identified a man they said was the shooter. They went to a home on Riverdale Road yesterday, and said they found a vehicle that had recently been repainted with primer to cover orange and blue paint, police said.

Police arrested Brian Carroll Smith Jr., 19, at his home and charged him with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and other charges.

Forum set for tonight on county growth

ANNAPOLIS - A citizens group will hold a public meeting tonight to solicit concerns about the county's future growth.

The Growth Action Network of Anne Arundel County wants to share updates about the county's blueprint for growth and relay citizen input to county planners, said group founder Ann Fligsten.

Citizens involved in drafting the county's 2008 General Development Plan, a once-a-decade plan for growth, will brief the public. County planners said the plan's draft should be released within the next month.

The 7 p.m. meeting at Annapolis High School, 2700 Riva Road, is the group's first public forum since it was founded last year.

Ms. Fligsten said she expects the forum to end by 8:30 p.m. so people can be home in time to watch the U.S. presidential debate at 9 p.m.

Space heater sparks boat fire

GLEN BURNIE - A boat caught fire at a Point Pleasant marina early this morning, county Fire Department officials said.

Firefighters were called to a marina in the 1700 block of Marley Avenue at just after midnight. A 35- to 40-foot motorboat was engulfed when crews arrived, said Battalion Chief Matthew Tobia, a county Fire Department spokesman.

It took 35 firefighters about 20 minutes to fight the fire.

A man was aboard the boat when the fire ignited, but was able to escape without injury, Chief Tobia said. The blaze caused $10,000 in damages and was caused by a portable space heater that was being improperly used on the boat, he said.

- From staff reports