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Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

zfailla@dailyvoice.com

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Equal parts Lois Lane, J. Jonah Jameson and Vicki Vale, Zak! has traveled from coast-to-coast covering small and big town community news in both in print and online for nearly a decade since his graduation from the award-winning Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College in 2010.

Before settling into the Hudson Valley, Zak! previously spent time in the New York Daily News newsroom and worked for hyperlocal digital news outlets on Long Island. He wrote sports for The Ithacan and The Ithaca Journal before taking his talents to the Pacific Northwest, where he served as the sports editor at the Shoshone News-Press until heading back east to work with Daily Voice.

Zak Failla's Contributions

News
15-Year-Old Charged For Role In Robbery That Left Accomplice Dead In Virginia: Police 15-Year-Old Charged For Role In Robbery That Left Accomplice Dead In Virginia: Police
15-Year-Old Charged For Role In Robbery That Left Accomplice Dead In Virginia: Police A teenager who crossed state lines has been charged with murder in connection to a reported shooting in a Virginia apartment complex, authorities announced on Sunday night. Officers from the Prince William County Police Department were called to the Misty Ridge Apartments in the 15000 block of Lost Canyon Court early in the morning on Tuesday, June 18 in Woodbridge, where they found a 17-year-old from Spartanburg, South Carolina suffering from gunshot wounds in an outdoor stairwell.  He was rushed to an area hospital, where he later died from his injuries. According to the department,…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Ex-Husband Charged In St. Mary's Assault That Ended In Victim Being Flown, Sheriff Says Ex-Husband Charged In St. Mary's Assault That Ended In Victim Being Flown, Sheriff Says
Ex-Husband Charged In St. Mary's Assault That Ended In Victim Being Flown, Sheriff Says A man who allegedly pistol-whipped and assaulted his ex-wife in St. Mary's County is behind bars after a planned meet turned ugly and she had to be airlifted to the hospital.  Mechanicsville resident John William Alvarado, 47, is facing multiple attempted murder charges following an incident late on Saturday night that resulted in his ex hospitalized and him in handcuffs, according to the sheriff's office. On June 22, deputies were called to a reported assault in the 45000 block of Nicholas Court in Lexington Park, where they spoke with Alvarado's ex, who said she was supposed to meet …

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by Zak Failla
Weather
Record-High Temperatures Reached At DMV Airports, National Weather Service Reports Record-High Temperatures Reached At DMV Airports, National Weather Service Reports
Record-High Temperatures Reached At DMV Airports, National Weather Service Reports With temperatures pushing toward 100 degrees on Sunday afternoon, several airports in the DMV region have reported new highs, according to the National Weather Service. A Heat Advisory was issued on June 23 with heat index values up to 107 degrees expected in the region, according to forecasters, with "hot temperatures and high humidity (that) may cause heat illness to occur."  "Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors," forecasters said, "Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles und…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Large Brush Fire Backs Up Traffic, Closes Exit On I-95 In Virginia (DEVELOPING) Large Brush Fire Backs Up Traffic, Closes Exit On I-95 In Virginia (DEVELOPING)
Large Brush Fire Backs Up Traffic, Closes Exit On I-95 In Virginia (Developing) Traffic on I-95 was temporarily backed up for several miles on Sunday afternoon as crews battled a brush fire that broke out in Stafford during the ongoing heat wave.  A fire was reported on June 23, leading to the closure of exit 136 and several southbound lanes in Stafford, leading to delays for motorists near the 136 mile marker, officials said. As of 3:45 p.m. on June 23, backups were reportedly six miles on the interstate, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Video of the congestion can be found here. According to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office, there wi…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Randallstown High School Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minor, Baltimore County Police Say Randallstown High School Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minor, Baltimore County Police Say
Randallstown High School Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minor, Baltimore County Police Say A 38-year-old teacher in Maryland has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a minor, police announced on Sunday. On Friday, Carlos Arroyo was arrested by detectives with the Baltimore County Crimes Against Children Unit following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a juvenile, according to authorities. Arroyo is a teacher at Randallstown High School, police noted. Randallstown High School Google Maps street view He has been charged with two felonies, which include sexual abuse of a minor and third-degree sexual offense, as well as two misdemeanor offenses. …

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by Zak Failla
News
Inmate Death In Maryland Prison Under Investigation: State Police (DEVELOPING) Inmate Death In Maryland Prison Under Investigation: State Police (DEVELOPING)
Inmate Death In Maryland Prison Under Investigation: State Police (Developing) A death investigation has been launched in Maryland after an 80-year-old inmate died at the Western Correctional Institution.  Ralph Ruark has been identified as the inmate who was reported dead by EMS personnel on Saturday, June 22 at the Allegany County facility. Officials say that shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday, the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit was contacted by investigators from the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Internal Investigative Unit (DPSCS IIU) about an inmate death that occurred minutes earlier. Details about his death have not been re…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Special Education Teacher Accused Of Assaulting Multiple Students In Virginia: Police Special Education Teacher Accused Of Assaulting Multiple Students In Virginia: Police
Special Education Teacher Accused Of Assaulting Multiple Students In Virginia: Police A special education teacher in Virginia has been arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting multiple students, police say. Elizabeth Yoshimi Nagagata, 62, a teacher at White Oaks Elementary School in Fairfax County, is facing charges after investigators received a referral in April regarding an educator who was caught assaulting a student at school. According to investigators from the Fairfax County Police Department, the investigation found that between September 2023 and April 2024, Nagagata allegedly assaulted three students on separate occasions. The nature of the assaults were not …

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by Zak Failla
News
Three Behind Bars After Stealing Police Cruiser, Crashing Into Cop Car In Virginia (UPDATED) Three Behind Bars After Stealing Police Cruiser, Crashing Into Cop Car In Virginia (UPDATED)
Three Behind Bars After Stealing Police Cruiser, Crashing Into Cop Car In Virginia (Updated) New details have been released by the Fairfax County Police Department after a man stole a police cruiser and quickly crashed into another cop car in Fair Oaks on Friday.  Police say that shortly after 11:30 a.m. on June 21, officers were called to investigate a reported stolen Toyota Corolla near the Fair Oaks Mall, which was located with three people inside. The driver, Kenton Smith, 46, who has no known address, attempted to walk away from the vehicle, while a passenger, Ashland resident Eric Guitierrez, 30, got out and stole an unmarked police cruiser. Gutierrez failed to stop for…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Speed Demon Going 103 MPH Nabbed By Police In Virginia (VIDEO) Speed Demon Going 103 MPH Nabbed By Police In Virginia (VIDEO)
Speed Demon Going 103 MPH Nabbed By Police In Virginia (Video) He wasn't going 55. A 23-year-old driver is facing a hefty fine and was cited for reckless driving after being busted going 103 mph in a posted 55 mph zone in Fairfax County late on Thursday night. Fairfax Station resident Benjamin Durkovic found himself in a precarious position on June 20 when he was caught by officers on patrol conducting speed enforcement on Ox Road near the intersection of Route 123 in Lorton. The incident was caught on camera. 103 MPH is a recipe for disaster. 🚙 💨❌ We’ve seen too many drivers caught speeding this week during #RoadShark Wave 3. Increased enforcemen…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Suspect At Large Month After Two 20 Year Olds Found Shot To Death In Maryland Park: Police Suspect At Large Month After Two 20 Year Olds Found Shot To Death In Maryland Park: Police
Suspect At Large Month After Two 20 Year Olds Found Shot To Death In Maryland Park: Police The Montgomery County Department of Police is calling on the community as they attempt to locate the person responsible for the murders of two young men at a Silver Spring park last month. Quincy Johnson, of Takoma Park, and Lanham resident D'Andre Wint, both 20, were found shot to death at the Nolte Local Park in the 200 block of Denver Road late in the afternoon on Sunday, May 26. Our officers along with @mcpnews are on scene of a shooting a Nolte Local Park in Silver Spring.Officers located two shooting victims. More information will be released as it becomes available. — Park Police …

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by Zak Failla
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