Articles by Matthew Barakat

Board Faults Utility’s Equipment in Fatal 2016 Explosion in Maryland

A gas company’s faulty equipment is the most likely cause of an explosion at a suburban Maryland apartment complex that killed seven people in 2016, according to federal report issued Tuesday. The explosion and fire at the Flower Branch apartments …

Virginia Man Gets Life Without Parole for Killing Son for Insurance

A Virginia man convicted of murdering his 15-month-old-son to collect on life insurance was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without parole. Joaquin Rams of Manassas, Va., was convicted earlier this year in the 2012 death of his son Prince. …

Trial Concludes for Virginia Man Accused of Killing Son for Insurance

Joaquin Rams is either a father unjustly accused in the tragic, unexplained death of his 1-year-old son, or he is the most cold-blooded of murderers who snuffed the life from his boy to collect half a million dollars in life …

Virginia’s Fairfax County Settles Police Shooting Lawsuit for $3M

Virginia’s Fairfax County agreed Tuesday to pay nearly $3 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit after one of its police officers shot and killed a man in the doorway of his home two years ago. Officer Adam Torres fatally …

Few D.C. Residents Affected in Flood-Insurance Debate

While the federal government wades through a complicated effort to keep the National Flood Insurance Program solvent, the capital city has very little at stake in the debate. That could be changing, though. Data compiled by The Associated Press show …

Virginia County Goes After Distracted Drivers Who Text

Yes, it’s illegal to text while driving in Virginia, just as it is in 29 other states. And yes, police see the same things on the roads that all motorists see: distracted drivers paying more attention to their cell phones …

Appeals Court Reinstates Lawsuit over Hot Sandwich

It’s been nearly five years since carnival operator Frank Sutton bit into a chicken sandwich at a McDonald’s at a truck stop in Virginia. The legal world is still dealing with the ramifications. In February month, a federal appeals court …