AFTER ALL THAT LOOKING, HE'S STILL A PRISONER OF LOVE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, January 8, 1993                   TAG: 9301080109
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY   
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ARLINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium
AFTER ALL THAT LOOKING, HE'S STILL A PRISONER OF LOVE
A heroin addict said drug abuse led him to marry three women within 45 days, without getting any divorces or annulments.
"I was out of control, shooting up a spoon of raw heroin a day," said Donald Flood, 40.
Flood was sentenced to five years in prison on two bigamy convictions in Arlington County Circuit Court. The judge suspended all but three months of the sentence Tuesday.
"I was guilty of loving somebody," said Flood. "I didn't have a father, and my mother died when I was 7 years old, so I was looking for love. I truly loved each of them."
According to court records, Flood was married the first time on Dec. 3, 1989, to an Alexandria woman. On Dec. 19, he married again without a divorce - this time to an Arlington woman. A month later, he took his third wife.
Flood, a former certified public accountant, said he started using drugs when he was 14.
His first wife, whom he called Yolanda, did not know about his drug problem at first, but when she found out she wanted to leave him.
According to Flood, Yolanda quickly presented him with what he thought were divorce papers. He signed them and thought the marriage was over.
Then came Deborah, who also did not know about his heroin addiction. His third wife was Althea.
When he realized he had three wives, Flood said, "I didn't care. I wanted to love someone."
Deborah called police and helped detectives arrest him at his home in Silver Spring, Md.
Flood said he now is seeing a woman and they plan to marry soon. He plans to write a book about his addiction and marriages.
His second and third marriages have been declared invalid and he has been divorced from Yolanda.
When he gets out of jail, Flood said, he wants to be a counselor, steering youths away from drugs.
"I am a dope fiend. I have firsthand experience, and if I can reach just one kid, it'll be worth it," he said.

(NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro)

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB