ARUNDEL DIGEST | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

SEVERNA PARK - A contractor for BGE is investigating how the trainee came into contact with the live wire during a repair Saturday night, a mistake that electrocuted him.

At just before 10 p.m., Thomas Kikas Jr., 19, of Middle River was working to restore power to four homes in the 200 block of Berrywood Drive when he was shocked by a hot line. He was working in a 3-foot-deep hole when he lost consciousness, county police said.

A co-worker pulled Mr. Kikas from the hole and tried to revive him. Mr. Kikas was taken by ambulance to Baltimore Washington Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 10:50 p.m.

Mr. Kikas was on a relief crew for Riggs Distler & Co. that was digging for underground cables in search of the broken wire that had caused outages in the community, said Leo Sniger, president of the New Jersey-based firm.

The relief arrived about 5 p.m. and found the faulty cable. Mr. Kikas and an "experienced crew leader" were working side-by-side to repair the break, Mr. Sniger said.

Mr. Kikas was an electrician trainee with the company since January. He had completed initial testing and was involved in classroom and on-the-job training to try to advance in the company.

Mr. Sniger said the man was "under complete supervision" Saturday night.

"They were aware the cables were energized," he said.

Maryland Occupational Safety and Health officials are investigating the accident.

Body of missing woman found

PASADENA - Police yesterday found the body of an Alzheimer's patient near her home after she had been missing for nearly a week.

Investigators discovered the body of Kathleen Kovacsi in a wooded area about .15 miles from her home in the 7600 block of Solley Road near Fort Smallwood Road at about 8 a.m.

She had been missing since 1 a.m. July 16 , county police said.

Police are investigating the death, but there was no immediate evidence of foul play.

Business groups to study zoning issues

SEVERNA PARK - Three business groups will hold a town hall meeting tomorrow at the Earleigh Heights Fire Hall on zoning enforcement and the permits and inspection process in the county.

Organizers from the Pasadena Business Association, as well as the Northern Anne Arundel County and the Greater Severna Park chambers of commerce have invited business owners, homeowners, property owners and anyone that has been through or is going through the permit application process or dealing with zoning issues to attend.

Everyone will be able to speak about his or her experience and make recommendations on how to make the process better.

Elected officials are invited, but will be asked to listen to residents speak rather than addressing the crowd themselves. County officials have not been invited.

Organizers say this will be the first of several meetings on this topic. Those who don't want to speak at the meeting can fill out a form addressing their concerns.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Earleigh Heights Fire Station at Ritchie Highway and Magothy Bridge Road. Speaker sign up sheets will be out at 6 p.m. For details, e-mail or call the PBA office at pasadenabusinessassociation1@verizon.net or 410-360-4722.

Woman attacked outside babysitter's

BROOKLYN PARK - A woman was choked, thrown to the ground and robbed after she left her child at a babysitter's house Monday in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood, county police said.

At about 5:15 a.m. she had just handed her child over to the babysitter in the 200 block of Doris Avenue when a man grabbed her around her neck and from behind, and shoved her to the concrete porch of the home. He grabbed her purse that was on top of her child's stroller and ran, police said.

The woman had minor scrapes on her elbow and bruising on her neck, but did not require medical attention.

Several officers searched the area but could not find the man.

He is described as black, about 6 feet tall, with dark skin and a stocky build. He was last seen wearing a black or dark-colored baseball hat, a dark-colored short-sleeved T-shirt and blue jeans.

The robbery took place a few blocks from an incident on Audrey Avenue that led to the shooting of a police officer. He had The officer, who chased a man he saw stripping a car into Baltimore, was wearing a bulletproof vest and not seriously injured.

Man hospitalized after boat accident

MAGOTHY RIVER - A 45-year-old man was taken to the hospital Saturday night after a boating accident near Dobbins Island, county fire officials said.

Firefighters were called to the Magothy Road boat ramp at 8:17 p.m. for the report of a man who'd injured his foot on a boat propeller, said Lt. Frank Fennell, a county Fire Department spokesman.

The man was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center. His injuries were not life-threatening, Lt. Fennell said.

Correction

A Community Digest item in the Maryland Gazette Saturday and the Pasadena column July 16 incorrectly reported the date of the Galilee Lutheran Church's Christmas in July. The event will be Friday.

We regret the error.