WQMX-FM weekend radio host 'Foz' Fazio killed in wrong way crash on I-271
Police are investigating the death of a local radio personality in a wrong way, head-on collision that killed two people on Interstate 271 in Warrensville Heights.
Twinsburg resident Daniel "Foz" Fazio, 47, was killed at 2:48 a.m. Saturday when his vehicle collided with one being driven by Luis Caban-Medina, a resident of the Cleveland area, said Warrensville Heights Police Chief Wesley Haynes.
Haynes said Caban-Medina, 31, who also died in the crash, had been driving northbound on the southbound lanes of Interstate 271 at the I-480 interchange when he struck Fazio head-on.
Further information on Caban-Medina was not immediately available.
Haynes said it is not yet known whether alcohol was a factor in the crash.
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Fazio was a weekend radio host on WQMX-FM radio, working Saturday and Sunday from 7 p.m. to midnight.
WQMX Program Director Sarah Kay said "Foz" had been a part-timer with the station for around three months, but had previously been with 92.3 WXTM-FM from 2001 to 2003, then for 97.5 WONE-FM from 2003-2007.
She said Fazio had wanted to get back into radio and had signed on as a weekend host.
Kay said she had known Fazio since around 2008 and bringing him on board was easy.
"Dan just wanted to be back on the air," she said, adding he had been so excited about being offered the job that he went to see his wife at work to tell her.
"He was a big personality − everybody loved him. He was the life of the party," Kay said.
Though Fazio preferred classic rock, his work as a DJ, performing at parties and weddings as a partner with Digital City Entertainment gave him a broad background in popular music.
His partner, "DJ Anthony," could not immediately be reached for comment, but posted an announcement on the company's Facebook page.
"My best friend and business partner for the past 16 years Dan Fazio was taken from us in a tragic automobile accident.
"Over the past 16 years Dan and I have performed at over 300 weddings, many of the families posting photos of us with the happy couples in this time of sorrow, and I wanted to say I appreciate each and every one of you. Also to all the venues and bars we have performed at and to your patrons I appreciate each of you as well."
Eric Marotta can be reached at emarotta@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Daniel 'Foz' Fazio, radio host for WQMX-FM in Akron, dead in crash
