Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

[email protected]

FOLLOW ON

Facebook Twitter Linkedin Instagram

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

Reston, VA
Breaking News
Fatal Stabbing Suspect Caught Minutes After Bloodied Victim Found In Fairfax County: Police Fatal Stabbing Suspect Caught Minutes After Bloodied Victim Found In Fairfax County: Police Fatal Stabbing Suspect Caught Minutes After Bloodied Victim Found In Fairfax County: Police
Fatal Stabbing Suspect Caught Minutes After Bloodied Victim Found In Fairfax County: Police A man accused of stabbing someone to death inside a Virginia home didn’t get far — and was taken into custody minutes after officers found his bloodied victim. First responders were called shortly before 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, to the 6000 block of Bellview Drive in Bailey's Crossroads, where there were reports of a stabbing, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Inside, officers found a man suffering from multiple stab wounds to his upper body, and they immediately began rendering life-saving aid. The man was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, but later died …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Upper Marlboro, MD
Breaking News
Driver Shot, Killed By Officers In PG County After Reentering Car During Traffic Stop: Police Driver Shot, Killed By Officers In PG County After Reentering Car During Traffic Stop: Police Driver Shot, Killed By Officers In PG County After Reentering Car During Traffic Stop: Police
Driver Shot, Killed By Officers In PG County After Reentering Car During Traffic Stop: Police A driver shot and killed by police hundreds of miles from home during a chaotic traffic stop in Maryland has now been identified as a 32-year-old man from Georgia. James Lewis Jr., of Sandy Springs, was named Monday, March 30, as the person killed during the encounter in Chillum, according to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. The officer who fired the fatal shot was also identified as Lt. Charles Cooper, an 11-year veteran of the Prince George’s County Police Department assigned to the Bureau of Patrol, officials said. The shooting happened on March 26, at approximately 8:40 p.m., ne…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Hyattsville, MD
Breaking News
Former Maryland Corporal Convicted Of Rape, Sexual Abuse Of Minor, Officials Say Former Maryland Corporal Convicted Of Rape, Sexual Abuse Of Minor, Officials Say Former Maryland Corporal Convicted Of Rape, Sexual Abuse Of Minor, Officials Say
Former Maryland Corporal Convicted Of Rape, Sexual Abuse Of Minor, Officials Say A former police officer in Maryland has been convicted of rape, officials in Prince George's County confirmed. Jonathan Monge, a former corporal with the Hyattsville City Police Department, faced multiple counts of second-degree rape and sexual abuse of a minor, according to officials. He was convicted of all charges. Following news of the conviction, the department issued a statement, noting that Monge has been suspended without pay since November and is no longer employed. "We recognize the seriousness of these crimes and the significant harm they cause to victims," officials said. "Co…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Alexandria, VA
Breaking News
Former Firefighter Filmed Himself Smoking Meth, Sexually Abusing Infant In Virginia: Feds Former Firefighter Filmed Himself Smoking Meth, Sexually Abusing Infant In Virginia: Feds Former Firefighter Filmed Himself Smoking Meth, Sexually Abusing Infant In Virginia: Feds
Former Firefighter Filmed Himself Smoking Meth, Sexually Abusing Infant In Virginia: Feds A meth-using former firefighter in Virginia filmed himself sexually abusing an infant and shared it with like-minded users online, authorities announced. Alex Tyler Buenaga, 32, a former Newport News firefighter, admitted to federal offenses in connection with illicit videos that were widely shared through an instant messaging app. According to court documents, beginning in October 2024, Buenaga began sexually assaulting a 3-month-old child, filming the abuse, then distributing the CSAM over the Internet. The details are even more damning. Prosecutors said that Buenaga invited o…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Westminster, MD
Breaking News
Man Rescued From Reservoir Rushed To Hospital After Falling From Carroll County Bridge (PHOTOS) Man Rescued From Reservoir Rushed To Hospital After Falling From Carroll County Bridge (PHOTOS) Man Rescued From Reservoir Rushed To Hospital After Falling From Carroll County Bridge (PHOTOS)
Man Rescued From Reservoir Rushed To Hospital After Falling From Carroll County Bridge (Photos) A dramatic water rescue shut down a busy roadway in Maryland after a person went over the side of a bridge and into a reservoir below. The call came in around 11:41 a.m. on Sunday, March 29, at Liberty Reservoir, where witnesses reported someone going over the Route 32 bridge. First responders arriving on the scene spotted the victim floating on the water below. Equipment staging on the Rt. 32 bridge over the reservoir. Gamber Volunteer Fire District Firefighters, EMS crews, and law enforcement quickly shut down the bridge as rescue teams moved into position above and below. Rescu…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Herndon, VA
Obituaries
Virginia Father, Coach, Architect Remembered For Life He Built On And Off The Field Virginia Father, Coach, Architect Remembered For Life He Built On And Off The Field Virginia Father, Coach, Architect Remembered For Life He Built On And Off The Field
Virginia Father, Coach, Architect Remembered For Life He Built On And Off The Field A Virginia father, soccer coach, and architect is being remembered for the life he built — both on job sites and in the lives of the people around him. Denis Xavier, 45, died on Tuesday, March 24, after a battle with cancer, his loved ones confirmed. Across Northern Virginia and DC, where he worked and coached, the loss is being felt by families who knew him in very different ways. Some knew him through his work. As an architect and builder, Denis spent years helping shape projects across the region, leaving behind something tangible in the communities he was part of. Others knew him fro…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Woodbridge, VA
Breaking News
Dead Body Found In Woodbridge Woods As Police Probe Death Of 24-Year-Old Man Dead Body Found In Woodbridge Woods As Police Probe Death Of 24-Year-Old Man Dead Body Found In Woodbridge Woods As Police Probe Death Of 24-Year-Old Man
Dead Body Found In Woodbridge Woods As Police Probe Death Of 24-Year-Old Man A 24-year-old man was found dead in a wooded area in Virginia, sparking a police investigation in a typically quiet neighborhood. Officers were called to the area near the 3500 block of Coxcomb Mews in Woodbridge shortly before 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, where the man was discovered in the woods, according to Prince William County Police. He was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders as investigators continue to determine what happened to the man — who has not been identified. Early findings indicate there were no signs of foul play, though the investigation remains ongoing, p…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Gaithersburg, MD
Breaking News
Man With NJ Ties Struck By Bus In MoCo Critically Injured As Police Search For Family Man With NJ Ties Struck By Bus In MoCo Critically Injured As Police Search For Family Man With NJ Ties Struck By Bus In MoCo Critically Injured As Police Search For Family
Man With NJ Ties Struck By Bus In MoCo Critically Injured As Police Search For Family A man with ties to New Jersey is fighting for his life after being struck by a bus in Maryland — and police still cannot find his family. The crash happened on Wednesday, March 25, when 36-year-old Jose Erasmo Rojas was struck by a Ride-On bus, according to Montgomery County Police. Five days later, detectives are still trying to track down his relatives, as Rojas remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said. Investigators say Rojas has ties to Newark, New Jersey, and had only been in Montgomery County for about a year. Now, as he remains unable to speak for himself, polic…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Fredericksburg, VA
Obituaries
Spotsy Seniors ID'd After Fatal Crash: Dad Says They Were ‘Ready To Start Their Lives’ Spotsy Seniors ID'd After Fatal Crash: Dad Says They Were ‘Ready To Start Their Lives’ Spotsy Seniors ID'd After Fatal Crash: Dad Says They Were ‘Ready To Start Their Lives’
Spotsy Seniors ID'd After Fatal Crash: Dad Says They Were ‘Ready To Start Their Lives’ A Virginia community is rallying around a single father who lost his youngest son in a crash that killed three high school seniors just weeks before graduation. Kyle Derby was just 17 and gearing up for his future. He was supposed to graduate in June with his friends. Instead, his name is now being shared in tributes, fundraisers, and messages from people trying to make sense of what happened shortly before midnight on Friday, March 27, in Spotsylvania. According to the sheriff's office, Derby, Antonio Rubsam, and Dylan Stanley, seniors at Spotsylvania High School, were involved in the sin…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Arlington, VA
Breaking News
Car Plows Into Virginia Building, Ends Up Lodged Inside Brick Wall In Arlington Car Plows Into Virginia Building, Ends Up Lodged Inside Brick Wall In Arlington Car Plows Into Virginia Building, Ends Up Lodged Inside Brick Wall In Arlington
Car Plows Into Virginia Building, Ends Up Lodged Inside Brick Wall In Arlington A driver slammed into a building in Virginia, sending bricks flying and leaving a vehicle stuck halfway inside the structure in Arlington on Tuesday afternoon. The crash happened in the 400 block of North George Mason Drive around 1:10 p.m. on March 30, according to an Arlington Fire & EMS spokesperson. Photos from the scene show the front end of the vehicle buried deep into the brick exterior, with debris scattered across the landscaping and sidewalk just feet from the roadway. Crews shut down North George Mason Drive as a Technical Rescue Team worked to stabilize the building and saf…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Prev Page 272 of 3977 270 271 272 273 274 Next
2,711 - 2,720 of 39,767 articles