Freetown Village

Gordon March is used to fighting crime from a different perspective.The former county police narcotics detective has spent the last several years of his career working undercover, posing as a buyer or seller of cocaine, PCP and other illegal substances.But after eight years undercover, his job description changed suddenly when Chief Robert Russell called on him a month ago to start a youth program for poor children in Freetown Village near Pasadena."I used to go into Freetown to buy drugs -- undercover -- but now I'll be there working with the kids," said March, a 23-year department veteran.

A series of arguments prompted by a stolen bicycle apparently led to an attempted murder-suicide Wednesday night that left two Pasadena men hospitalized yesterday, Anne Arundel County police and a victim's relatives said. Darien Lateef Hudson, 25, was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where police said Wednesday he was brain-dead. Anne Arundel County police said Hudson shot himself once in the head after fleeing the scene of a shooting just outside Freetown Village. Earlier Wednesday evening, police found Joseph Francis Queen, 27, with a gunshot wound to the upper body.

A county police officer arrested a Freetown Village man on drug charges Wednesday night after the man was stopped at New Freetown Road and Whitaker Road for speeding, officials said.Corporal Michael Belcher was working a special enforcement detail in Freetown about 11:30 p.m. when he stopped a man for driving 35 mph in a 25 mph zone. The man was driving a 1986 Nissan pick-up truck that was not his, and had no identification but gave his name as Cedrick Blair, police said.After further questioning, the officer learned the name was false and arrested the man. When Corporal Belcher searched him and the car, he found seven bags of suspected crack cocaine in the man's jacket pocket.

Anne Arundel County police are searching for two men suspected of firing shots Tuesday night in the Freetown area and wounding a man. About 11:45 p.m., a man arrived at the Riviera Beach Fire Department after he was shot in the torso near Freetown Village and Fort Smallwood Road. The victim was flown to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was treated and released. About the same time, occupants of another car traveling through the area reported being fired on by two men. No one in the car was hurt, but the vehicle had several holes from the gunfire.

County Police Chief Robert P. Russell used to throw rocks at police cars while growing up in Baltimore. He stopped when the city's Police Department set up a Boys Club and offered him some more positive activities.The chief used this example Monday night, trying to convince skeptical Freetown Village residents that a similar program can work for their children.According to the plan, police officers will volunteer free time to take the young residents to baseball games, go on field trips and participate in sports.

Anne Arundel County police raided three homes in the Freetown section of Pasadena Friday, arrested four men and a woman, and seized more than 13 grams of crack cocaine, they said.Antonio Rivers, 22, of the 800 block of Herndon Court in Baltimore and Jamal A. Oliver, 26, of the 1600 block of Gramble Wood Road in Baltimore were charged with possession of crack cocaine and marijuana.Terrill Parker, 19, of the 400 block of Lincoln Drive in Glen Burnie; Wade Nathaniel Dorsey, 35, of the 600 block of E. 29th St. in Baltimore; and Yolanda R. Carter, 39, of the 7800 block of Willing Court, were charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Ten people were arrested on drug charges during an early morning raid of 10 houses in Freetown Village and the surrounding area, county police said.The raids occurred about 2 a.m. Sunday. Seven of the 10 people arrested were not detained at the county jail. Three others were released yesterday afternoon, detention center officials said.County narcotics officers started their investigation Oct. 18 to identify people selling crack cocaine and other drugs in the area, police said. Officers obtained search warrants based on their investigation and neighbor complaints, police said.

County police arrested four people in Freetown Village on Saturday night during a raid on an open-air drug market.Between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. officers hid in the community and watched suspects buy drugs then stopped them as they were driving out of the neighborhood, police said.Howard Eugene Fallin, 34, of the 8000 block of Bellhave Road in Pasadena, Kurt Dykins Hofman Sr., 39, of the 8500 block of Beacon Point Drive in Pasadena, Michelle Lynn McKeruick, 30, of the 1100 block of Sunnybrook Drive in Glen Burnie and Clyde Thomas Williams, 41, of the same address, were all charged with possession of crack-cocaine, police said.

Pasadena man robbed of $40 in Freetown VillageTwo men robbed a 26-year-old Pasadena man in Freetown Village Tuesday, county police said yesterday.According to the police, Kenneth Schuler of the 700 block of 203rd St. was walking in Freetown Village near Freetown Elementary School at 2:17 p.m. when he became lost and asked two men on mountain bikes for directions.One of the men, who said he had a gun, took $40 from Mr. Schuler, the police report said.

POLICE LOG Freetown Village: Burglars stole nearly $700 worth of appliances from a home in the 7800 block of Levy Court between 11 a.m. Oct. 20 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 21.

When Willie C. Johnson moved to the Glen Burnie neighborhood of Freetown in 1963, he wanted a loan to finish building his three-bedroom ranch for his wife and newborn daughter. But he had a hard time finding a bank to help him, he speculated, because he's black. "It was discrimination at that time, in housing and everything else," he said. Johnson finally found an institution that would lend him the $7,000 he needed to install a furnace and windows, but he wasn't satisfied. Seeing the community's need for public and senior housing, he wanted to help his new neighbors.

When Willie C. Johnson moved to the Pasadena neighborhood of Freetown in 1963, he wanted a loan to finish building his three-bedroom ranch house for his wife and newborn daughter. But he had a hard time finding a bank to help him, he speculated, because he's black. "It was discrimination at that time, in housing and everything else," he said. Johnson finally found an institution that would lend him the $7,000 he needed to install a furnace and windows, but he wasn't satisfied. Seeing the community's need for public and senior housing, he wanted to help his new neighbors.

County police arrested four people in Freetown Village on Saturday night during a raid on an open-air drug market.Between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. officers hid in the community and watched suspects buy drugs then stopped them as they were driving out of the neighborhood, police said.Howard Eugene Fallin, 34, of the 8000 block of Bellhave Road in Pasadena, Kurt Dykins Hofman Sr., 39, of the 8500 block of Beacon Point Drive in Pasadena, Michelle Lynn McKeruick, 30, of the 1100 block of Sunnybrook Drive in Glen Burnie and Clyde Thomas Williams, 41, of the same address, were all charged with possession of crack-cocaine, police said.

Three men wearing ski masks walked into an arcade at Annapolis Mall early Tuesday, demanded money and beat the store clerk, county police said.The clerk, a 55-year-old Edgewater woman, had arrived at Tilt Arcade at 5: 30 a.m. to ready the store, which opens at 10 a.m., for business, police said. A security guard had let her into the mall and escorted her to the arcade.Shortly after, three men, one carrying a gun, came into the arcade and told the clerk to open the safe, police said. When at first she refused, they beat her, cutting and bruising her head and upper body.

Anne Arundel County police raided three homes in the Freetown section of Pasadena Friday, arrested four men and a woman, and seized more than 13 grams of crack cocaine, they said.Antonio Rivers, 22, of the 800 block of Herndon Court in Baltimore and Jamal A. Oliver, 26, of the 1600 block of Gramble Wood Road in Baltimore were charged with possession of crack cocaine and marijuana.Terrill Parker, 19, of the 400 block of Lincoln Drive in Glen Burnie; Wade Nathaniel Dorsey, 35, of the 600 block of E. 29th St. in Baltimore; and Yolanda R. Carter, 39, of the 7800 block of Willing Court, were charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

County police arrested three Glen Burnie men Saturday on drug and weapons charges after they found more than 100 rocks of crack cocaine in their car, which was parked in Freetown Village.Derric James Johnson, 22, of the 400 block of Norvelle Court; Keith O'Brien Boykin, 22, of the 400 block of Hideaway Loop; and Darwin Delmontico Coates, 20, of the 7800 block of Willing Court, were charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, drug possession in a school zone, illegal possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun in the commission of a felony.

POLICE LOG* Brandon Woods Business Park: Someone stole a $2,000 jackhammer from a truck parked in the 7600 block of Energy Parkway sometime between Saturday and Monday.* Freetown Village: Someone broke the rear window of a truck in the 7900 block of Liberty Circle Monday night and stole a $250 stereo.

Man robbed, stabbed in Freetown VillageA 21-year-old Prince George's County man was robbed and stabbed in Freetown Village Thursday, county police reported.According to the police report, Denard C. Carey, 21, of the 2100 block of Colebrook Road in Temple Hills, was in Freetown at 2 a.m. with a friend.He told police he was stabbed in the side as he stood on the corner of Levy Court talking to some men. After he was stabbed, the assailant took money from his pockets.Carey's companion took him to Washington Hospital Center, where officials reported the incident to police.

Ten people were arrested on drug charges during an early morning raid of 10 houses in Freetown Village and the surrounding area, county police said.The raids occurred about 2 a.m. Sunday. Seven of the 10 people arrested were not detained at the county jail. Three others were released yesterday afternoon, detention center officials said.County narcotics officers started their investigation Oct. 18 to identify people selling crack cocaine and other drugs in the area, police said. Officers obtained search warrants based on their investigation and neighbor complaints, police said.

A county police officer was injured Monday as he chased a man suspected of drug dealing through the woods near Freetown Village, police said.Northern District Officer Eric Alan Burns was treated for back injuries at North Arundel Hospital and released.Officers were patrolling Freetown Village shortly after 12:30 a.m. Monday when they saw a man loitering in a stairwell.When the man saw police, he threw off his jacket and ran across Whitaker Road and into the woods, police reported.Officer Burns ran through thick brush and a swamp to cut off the suspect's escape.