Maryland's Top 5: Our Most Popular Facebook Stories This Week

From a $7 million solution to a school's overcrowding to the lowering of a flag for a recently deceased, decorated soldier, check out the stories Maryland Patch readers were sharing, reading and commenting on for the week of April 10.

Columbia Store Sells $1 Million Scratch-Off

Two friends in Columbia won $1 million from a scratch-off that they purchased together, according to the Maryland Lottery. The friends were in Pars Market in the 9400 block of Snowden River Parkway in Columbia when one decided to purchase a $20 ticket, but realized he only had $10, so his friend put down the other half.

DC Police Officer Robbed Teen Prostitute In Glen Burnie

Anne Arundel County police arrested a DC police officer on a slew of charges including assault, prostitution and armed robbery. The Department of Homeland Security was alerted of a possible human trafficking case involving a 15-year-old female. The victim was receiving services from the Department of Social Services when she told officials that she met Ekwonna via a social media app, called "Tagged," and agreed to meet with him to engage in sexual activity in exchange for money.

Torture, Robbery Of Annapolis Hotel Guest Earns Guilty Verdicts

A couple has been convicted of burning a guest with a clothes iron until he gave them ATM information while he stayed at Crown Plaza Annapolis Hotel. The attack and robbery happened July 23, 2016, at the hotel on 173 Jenifer Rd., where the victim was visiting from Canada while he attended the wedding of a friend. Prosecutors said the victim's hands were tied behind his back and that he was viciously beaten while the couple searched his room for valuables.

Soldier Death Prompts Lowering Of Harford County Flag

The Harford County flag was lowered in recognition of the loss of Staff Sgt. Mark De Alencar, the Edgewood special forces soldier who died while in combat in Afghanistan. De Alencar, 37, had been killed by enemy forces using small arms fire in Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province on April 8. He'd enlisted in 2009 and became part of the special forces in 2016, according to the Army Times, who reported that Alencar was a decorated soldier.

$7M Proposed For Perry Hall School Overcrowding Solutions

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz will has delivered his fiscal year 2018 budget proposal as of April 13. In advance, he said he'd planned to include $7 million in planning and design funding for a new, 1,500-seat middle school in Perry Hall and a 200 to 300-seat addition at Pine Grove Middle School. The two would relieve overcrowding in the northeastern part of the county, according to Kamenetz, who further explained that Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dallas Dance had originally proposed the solution.

Photo credit: Maryland Lottery