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Thursday, may 1

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

Traffic

Man Killed By Tractor-Trailer After Crashing, Running Into Traffic In La Plata: MSP A man was killed in a bizarre series of crashes on Route 301 in Charles County after getting hit by a tractor-trailer in the middle of the highway, Maryland State Police said. It happened shortly before 2:40 a.m. Thursday, May 1, on southbound Route 301 at Sadie Lane in La Plata. According to investigators, a gray Infiniti was stopped in the middle of the road when it was rear-ended by a blue Nissan Rogue, driven by Virginia resident Africa Violet, 45. Violet told police that the driver of the Infiniti got out after the crash and ran across the center median into northbound lanes. Th…

by Zak Failla

05/01/2025

Police & Fire

Walkersville Man Attempted To Abduct Girl Minutes Before DUI Arrest: State Police A Maryland man is behind bars after allegedly trying to abduct a young girl, then getting caught drunk driving minutes later, according to state police. Gary Lee Plummer, 55, of Walkersville, was arrested following a strange — and scary — sequence that saw him attempt to kidnap two girls before being stopped for a DUI on Wednesday afternoon. Plummer was stopped by troopers in Frederick County at around 3 p.m. on April 30 in the 8700 block of Woodsboro Pike, and during the stop, it was determined he was intoxicated and he was taken into custody for driving under the influence. What ha…

by Zak Failla

05/01/2025

Traffic

Freight Train Slams Into Pickup Truck At Mt. Airy Railroad Crossing: Fire Officials A freight train barreled into a pickup truck carrying three people at a railroad crossing in Maryland early Thursday morning — and everyone walked away. Emergency crews rushed to the scene after a freight train struck a pickup truck on the tracks in Mt. Airy, around 7:40 a.m. on Thursday, May 1, according to Howard County Fire & EMS. When first responders arrived, they found the truck with heavy front-end damage after the collision. Officials confirmed there were three people inside the vehicle when it was hit. All three were evaluated at the scene and refused transport to the hospital…

by Zak Failla

05/01/2025

Traffic

Tow Truck Sparks Five-Car Crash On I-495 In Montgomery County, Hospitalizing Two: State Police A tow truck barreled into traffic on I-495 in Maryland, setting off a violent five-car pileup that sent two drivers to the hospital and shut down the Beltway for hours, authorities said. The crash happened just before 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 30, on the outer loop of I-495 west of Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, according to Maryland State Police. Investigators say five vehicles were traveling along the Beltway when the tow truck driver lost control and smashed into the back of a Honda Civic. The force of the crash sent the truck off the left shoulder — but it didn’t stop there. …

by Zak Failla

04/30/2025

News

Beltsville Man Indicted In Crash That Killed 19-Year-Old Poolesville Woman On I-270 A Maryland man accused of driving drunk and unlicensed when he crashed on I-270, killing a 19-year-old woman from Poolesville, has been indicted for vehicular homicide, prosecutors announced. Byron Armando Bautista Turcios, 23, of Beltsville, is facing a slate of felony charges following a deadly crash that claimed the life of Amelia Nicole Hobart on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, authorities said. According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, a grand jury returned a four-count indictment on Thursday, April 24, formally charging Bautista Turcios with: Manslaughter by motor v…

by Zak Failla

04/30/2025

Police & Fire

Explosion Rocks Parking Lot Of Baltimore Business; Man, 23, Arrested: Police A Maryland man is facing serious charges after allegedly detonating an explosive device in a Home Depot parking lot — sending nearby victims running and triggering a multi-agency investigation, police said. Brent Goetz, 23, of Baltimore County, was arrested on Monday, April 28, after investigators linked him to a weekend explosion in the 6300 block of Eastern Avenue in Baltimore, authorities announced. The blast occurred around 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in the rear parking lot of the business, police say. It is alleged that Goetz set off a device near several unidentified victims before fl…

by Zak Failla

04/30/2025

Sports

Nationals Staffer Collapses On Field Before Phillies Game At CBP: Report (Developing) A Washington Nationals staff member had to be stretchered off the field before Wednesday's game against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, according to reports. The staffer — who has not been identified — reportedly collapsed on the field during batting practice before first pitch, scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on April 30. It was first reported by NBC Sports Philadelphia. There appears to be a serious medical situation on the field right now during Washington Nationals batting practice. It appears someone collapsed and they are attending to him. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/WTwCEwH2DF — John Clark (@J…

by Zak Failla

04/30/2025

Obituaries

Gaithersburg Bus Driver Dies On Duty, Saves Passengers In Final Moments — Leaves Behind 10 Kids A beloved Maryland bus driver is being remembered as a hero after suffering a fatal heart attack behind the wheel — and still managing to keep his passengers safe. A Montgomery County Ride On bus operator died while on duty after suffering a heart attack while driving along his southbound Route 55 route, officials confirmed. The driver, Ruiz Bell, 63, of Gaithersburg, was able to safely stop the bus despite the medical emergency, likely preventing further tragedy, according to County Executive Marc Elrich. “Even in that moment, he was thinking about the people around him — bringing the bus…

by Zak Failla

04/30/2025

Police & Fire

Stabbed, Lied, Delayed: Gaithersburg Woman Learns Fate After Murdering Boyfriend A Maryland woman who stabbed her boyfriend in the chest, then drove him around for hours while telling a string of lies, is heading to prison. Jennifer Abigail Espinoza-Orellana, 23, of Gaithersburg, was sentenced to 40 years in prison, with all but 18 years suspended after being convicted of second-degree murder in the 2023 death of 20-year-old Jose Manuel Zavala Marquez, Montgomery County prosecutors announced on Wednesday, April 30. The killing unfolded in the early morning hours of Sept. 10, 2023, outside the couple’s home in the 8000 block of Shady Spring Drive, officials said. Espino…

by Zak Failla

04/30/2025

Schools

Mom, School Worker Hit Walking Dog In Pennsylvania Suffers Severe Head, Leg Injuries A Maryland mother of two and school employee is fighting for her life after she was struck by a car while walking her dog in Pennsylvania. Margo Cook, 39, who recently started a new job at Boonsboro Elementary in Maryland, was hit by a car crossing the road in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, on Friday, April 25, according to police. She was walking with her dog, Mae, following a softball game when she was struck, her family said. Cook suffered severe head and leg injuries and was rushed to Meritus Medical Center before being transferred to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in…

by Zak Failla

04/30/2025

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