Woman pleads guilty to prescription fraud, gets probation

Described as having had a $200,000-a-year drug addiction, the estranged wife of a former University of Maryland Medical Center surgeon pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts of prescription fraud in exchange for three years of supervised probation and drug treatment.

The plea in county Circuit Court by Cindy Flowers, 45, of Severn comes about a month after her estranged husband, Dr. John Lee Flowers, was placed on probation for writing hundreds of fake prescriptions for painkillers and diet pills for her. He was forced to resign from his job.

Judge Joseph P. Manck sentenced Cindy Flowers to a two- year term and suspended it for probation. Her lawyer, E. Thomas Maxwell, said she became addicted while under psychiatric treatment in 1995 for panic disorder and at one time took 50 Percocet pills a day.

Fire officials investigating 2 incidents at Old Mill High

The county Fire Department is investigating two suspicious fires an hour apart yesterday at Old Mill High School.

The first occurred about 8 a.m. in a locker on the lower level. The second was about 9 a.m. on the upper level near the math area on a floor tile, Capt. Michael Cox said.

Both fires were quickly extinguished and did little damage. Cox asked anyone with information to call 410-222-TIPS.

Pasadena man, 23, charged in home invasion, robbery

County police arrested a Pasadena man Tuesday in connection with a home invasion and armed robbery in Pasadena.

Jeremy Scott Allender, 23, of Second Street was arrested in Brooklyn and charged with armed robbery and other offenses related to a home invasion the night before on Eagle Hill Road.

Police recovered a shotgun and suspected drugs. They also seized Allender's vehicle.