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Friday, jan 3

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

Police & Fire

Convicted Sex Trafficker On The Run After Tampering With Ankle Monitor In Montgomery County: PD Recognize him? Montgomery County detectives are calling on the community to help find a convicted sex trafficker who disappeared after tampering with his ankle monitor. Ernest Gerald Wilkerson who was convicted in February of two counts of sex trafficking and two prostitution-related charges, vanished a month later in March. Police say his ankle monitor was tampered with on March 7, just weeks after his conviction. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest five days later, but Wilkerson remains at large. Authorities are now renewing their efforts to locate Wilkerson and are offering a rew…

01/03/2025

Traffic

Here's When To Expect Possible Lane Closures For Spotsy Roundabout Project Beginning next week, drivers in Spotsylvania should prepare for changes as construction begins on a new roundabout at the busy intersection of Route 610 (Old Plank Road) and Route 674 (Chancellor Road), VDOT officials are cautioning. The project, funded through a private development agreement with Spotsylvania County, aims to improve safety and reduce congestion in an area where Old Plank Road handles an average of 11,000 vehicles daily, according to a 2023 traffic count. Starting on Monday, Jan. 6, crews will work between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., with occasional overnight operations. Driv…

01/03/2025

Sports

Westchester Knicks Star Pulls Off Rare G League/NBA Doubleheader Baseball season isn't until the spring, but Westchester played a part in a special - and unusual - doubleheader. Tyler Kolek is in rarified air after pulling double duty, first starring for 40 minutes with the Westchester Knicks in the G League on Wednesday, Jan 1, before getting the call-up to the NBA club for their New Year's Day game against the Utah Jazz. Kolek posted a 36-point, 11-assist double-double in Westchester's win over the Indiana Mad Ants, which tipped off at 1 p.m. on Jan. 1. Then, due to injuries, Kolek was called on and made the trip to Madison Square Garden, where …

01/02/2025

Police & Fire

Teens Apprehended After Assaulting Officers During Chaotic Traffic Stop In Anne Arundel: Police Police arrested six people, including five teens, after a chaotic traffic stop turned violent in Anne Arundel County on Wednesday morning. Officers pulled over a black Mercedes for a registration violation on Ritchie Highway near Shelly Road in Brookyln at approximately 10:40 a.m., police said, leading to a violent encounter with the minors. While speaking with the driver outside of the vehicle, officers said several others got out and began attacking them in what is believed to have been an attempt to hinder their investigation. During the struggle, police said they saw one individual att…

01/02/2025

Police & Fire

Forgetful Felon Busted After Leaving Backpack With Drugs, Stolen Gun In Uber: Stafford Sheriff A Stafford man made it easy for deputies to track him down after leaving behind a backpack full of illegal items during an Uber ride on New Year’s Eve. Around 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31, deputies responded to a North Stafford residence after an Uber driver reported finding a suspicious backpack left behind by a passenger. The driver, searching the bag for ID to return it, instead found a gun, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office, but instead of an ID he found a firearm. Deputies arrived to take possession of the weapon, which turned out to be stolen, authorities said,…

01/02/2025

Police & Fire

Charles County Dirt Biker’s Great Escape Ends In Epic Fail Seconds Later, Sheriff Says A 19-year-old dirt biker’s fruitless attempt to flee from police was foiled almost as quickly as it began when he crashed mere seconds after taking off in Charles County, according to the sheriff's office. The incident unfolded shortly after 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1, when officers spotted Waldorf resident Mason James Miles operating a dirt bike on Crain Highway near Port Tobacco Road, officials said. Officers initiated a traffic stop at a red light, but Miles allegedly tried to make a quick getaway. It went poorly. His escape didn’t last long—he immediately lost control of the bike …

01/02/2025

Police & Fire

Armed Minor Charged As Adult In New Year's Eve Bicycle Robbery In Lexington Park: Sheriff A minor accused of stealing a bicycle while armed with what appeared to be a handgun is being charged as an adult in St. Mary's County, a spokesperson from the sheriff's office said. The incident unfolded on Tuesday, Dec. 31, when a minor approached a deputy patrolling Great Mills Road in Lexington Park and reported that his bike had been taken in the Patuxent Crossing neighborhood while he was playing football with friends. The victim said the suspect, described as another minor, displayed what appeared to be a handgun in his waistband before demanding the bicycle, according to officials. …

01/02/2025

Police & Fire

Fire Marshal Issues Warning After Fire Pit Incident In Laurel That Critically Injured Child Maryland’s Acting State Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray is urging caution around indoor fire pits following a devastating fire that left a child critically injured and a woman hurt. An alert was issued on Tuesday highlighting the dangers of flame jetting and other hazards linked to the increasingly popular devices, often used for making s'mores or adding ambiance. The fire, reported last week in a Laurel townhouse, started when an alcohol-fueled fire pit ignited explosively. A 9-year-old was transported to the Pediatric Burn Center at Johns Hopkins Children's Center with severe burn…

01/02/2025

Police & Fire

Lexington Park Man Charged With Assaulting Minor, Pointing Gun At Housemate: Sheriff A Maryland man is facing serious charges after allegedly assaulting a child and threatening a housemate with an unregistered firearm, authorities said. Timothy Ignatius Gatton, 22, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 1, after deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in the 22000 block of Oxford Court shortly before 8 p.m. in Lexington Park. Witnesses told deputies Gatton had kicked a young girl in the ribs during what the victim’s mother described as "horseplay." The minor had reportedly kicked Gatton in the face moments before the assault. Paramedics trea…

01/02/2025

Police & Fire

Police Seek Public’s Help Identifying Pedestrian Critically Hurt In MoCo New Year's Eve Crash Detectives in Montgomery County are asking for the public’s help identifying a man who was critically injured in a serious pedestrian crash on New Year's Eve. Authorities say the pedestrian, described only as a Hispanic male in his early 30s, was struck by at least one vehicle while crossing University Boulevard near East Franklin Avenue in Silver Spring at around 6:11 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31. TRAFFIC ADVISORY: A collision has westbound University Boulevard East closed at East Franklin Avenue. Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route. Expect delays. #MCPNews #MCPD Posted by M…

01/01/2025

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