Metro Briefs

MARYLAND

BALTIMORE

O’Malley considering tax increases

Gov. Martin O’Malley is looking at a variety of tax increases to help close a projected $1.5 billion deficit.

Mr. O’Malley, a Democrat, made no specific proposals during a meeting with the editorial board of the Baltimore Sun. But he was outspoken in his support for changing the state’s income tax structure so that the wealthy pay higher rates.

He said other possible solutions include increasing the sales tax from 5 percent to 6 percent, closing corporate tax loopholes and legalizing slot machines at racetracks. Mr. O’Malley also said he was “open to compromises and consensus” in dealings with lawmakers. Senate Minority Leader David R. Brinkley, Frederick County Republican, said tax increases are not necessary.

WESTMINSTER

Woman says earring in her sandwich

A Westminster woman says she found an earring in her fish sandwich from Burger King.

Valarie Saunders says the earring cut the roof of her mouth while she was eating July 21 at the restaurant on Baltimore Boulevard in Westminster. She described the earring as a multicolored stud with the back on it.

Miss Saunders says she got a tetanus shot after the incident and plans to take an HIV test. She made a formal complaint Tuesday to the Carroll County Health Department and also said she is considering filing a lawsuit.

Health department officials visited the restaurant and determined the origin of the earring was unknown.

Restaurant manager Jamie Naill said Burger King also was conducting an investigation but declined further comment.

Miss Saunders received a letter Friday from Burger King apologizing for the incident.

GLENARDEN

Teen found dead of gunshot wounds

The Prince George’s County Police Department is investigating the homicide death of a teenager.

Lt. Lisa Delabrer said officers were called Friday at about 10:30 p.m. to the 8100 block of Martin Luther King Highway. They found a body with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was identified as Eugene Jones, 16, of Landover. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have no motive or witnesses in the investigation.

BALTIMORE

Officer accused in wife’s slaying

The Baltimore Police Department is looking for a correctional officer in connection with the fatal shooting of his wife.

Police said the shooting occurred Friday at around 11:20 p.m. during an argument in their home and that the suspect, Lt. Donald Webb Jr., also shot and wounded his 13-year-old stepson.

Lt. Webb, 48, works for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services as a supervisor at the Baltimore City Correctional Center, a minimum-security facility.

According to police, Lt. Webb shot his wife, Cynthia, several times with a handgun as they argued in the bedroom of their Southwest Baltimore row house. Police said he then ran downstairs and shot the teenager, whose name has not been released.

The boy was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Lt. Webb’s fellow officers were shocked at the news, said Maj. Priscilla Doggett, a spokeswoman for the Division of Correction.

Maj. Doggett said Lt. Webb “was considered a good officer, and there was no indication by administrators or co-workers that there were any problems going on.”

Lt. Webb is a 17-year veteran of the department and is part of the upper administration at the prison, Maj. Doggett said.

VIRGINIA

ARLINGTON

Teen gets a year in high-speed death

A Great Falls teenager convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a friend was sentenced to one year in prison.

Prosecutors said Saadet Muslu, 18, was driving faster than 100 mph in September when her car crashed on the George Washington Parkway. One of the passengers, Jessie Little, 21, was killed and two others were seriously injured.

Muslu has already served six months in jail. When her sentence ends, she will spend the next 10 years talking to teens about the dangers of speeding and what it’s like to go to prison.

From wire dispatches and staff reports.