Derrick Ward is a general assignment reporter for News4.
A native of the District of Columbia, Ward grew up in Marshall Heights and the H Street Corridor in Northeast. He lived through the 1968 riots and documented his experiences on News4 as part of the station's 40th anniversary coverage. Ward attended HD Woodson High School and the University of Maryland.
Ward's journalism career began in radio. He worked for WPFW, WAMU and WTOP, covering major stories such as the Iran-Contra hearings, the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon, and the Washington-area sniper shootings.
When Ward made the move to television reporting, his first job was at WKBW-TV in Buffalo. He returned to Washington in 2006 and began reporting for News4.
When not working, Ward spends time with his three children. He also plays guitar and golf.
Ward currently lives in Bowie, Md.
The Latest
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Teddy bears honor Ukrainian children killed in the war with Russia
February will mark three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since then, more than 600 Ukrainian children have been killed. To honor the lives lost, hundreds of teddy bears were placed at the Washington Monument Friday morning. Voices raised to the words of the Ukrainian national anthem drifted across the monument grounds. Teddy bears were arrayed in neat rows, each…
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Scooter driver killed in crash with DC police cruiser
An investigation is underway after a cyclist crashed into the side of an unmarked D.C. Police cruiser in Columbia Heights early Saturday morning.
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Virginia town to honor Bluemont plane crash victims after 50 years
Fifty years after a plane with 92 people on board crashed in Loudoun County, Virginia, a memorial honoring the victims is set to be unveiled. The afternoon of Dec. 1, 1974, was quiet in the town of Bluemont — until residents were shaken by what happened on the mountain. TWA Flight 514, a Boeing 727 from Columbus, Ohio, bound for…
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Elderly man dead after Prince George's County house fire
An elderly man died in a house fire in Brentwood, Maryland early Sunday morning, according to Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department. Firefighters responded to the 3400 block of Webster Street at 12:39 a.m. where they found the first floor of the duplex in flames. “It was definitely scary,” said a neighbor. “We heard the banging. My daughters were…
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Mother of 3 killed in Oxon Hill hit-and-run
A woman was killed in a hit-and-run in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Thursday night. Sandra Abarca Orellana had been shopping at a mall on Oxon Hill Road and was crossing the road, headed for a bus stop, when she was struck by a car after 9 p.m. The 52-year-old mother of three was pronounced dead at the scene. The initial lookout…
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Charles Co. parents demand answers after 2nd grader hurt in bathroom
A Charles County second grader was hospitalized with serious injuries after he was hurt Friday while “horseplaying” in a bathroom inside his elementary school, school officials said. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is now helping the school investigate as the boy’s parents demand answers. News4’s Derrick Ward reports.
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‘So many questions': 2nd grader hurt ‘horseplaying' in Charles County school bathroom
A Charles County second grader was hospitalized with serious injuries after he was hurt Friday while “horseplaying” in a bathroom inside his elementary school, school officials said. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is now helping the school investigate as the boy’s parents demand answers. News4 started asking school officials and law enforcement questions after an Instagram post by the...
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DC leaders prep for second Trump inauguration
So far, protest organizers have already submitted 10 permits for demonstrations. News4’s Derrick Ward reports.
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Fire destroys home, displaces family in Montgomery County
A family is displaced after a fire engulfed their home in Barnesville, Maryland, early Monday, officials say. Firefighters responded to the 21700 block of Peach Tree Road when they received a call at about 2:30 a.m., according to officials. When firefighters arrived on the scene, the fire was spreading to vehicles in the driveway and to surrounding trees. The home…
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DC pizza shop faces backlash for congratulating Trump
A D.C. pizza shop faces backlash after a congratulatory social media post about President-elect Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Menomale Pizza posted, “The people have spoken. @realDonaldTrump won the popular vote and the electoral college. Congratulations!” “It was a trending topic,” co-owner Mariya Rusciano said. “Many restaurants were tweeting the night before, as well. Everybody was hopping on the trending...
