Dave Summers is a veteran investigative reporter who has been a trusted presence at NBC 7 San Diego for more than a decade. Known for his tenacity, urgency, and sharp enterprise reporting, Dave is often on the front lines of breaking news and major emergencies — delivering clear, accurate information when it matters most.
Over the course of his career, Dave has earned numerous honors in Southwest Regional Emmy competitions, as well as awards from the San Diego Press Club and the Society of Professional Journalists. He is also a member of several professional organizations, including Investigative Reporters and Editors, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and press clubs in both San Diego and Cleveland.
Dave’s journalism career began early — as a teenager writing for The Times Recorder in his hometown of Zanesville, Ohio, as well as the Catholic Times. A graduate of The Ohio State University, he quickly built a reputation for investigative excellence.
In 1991, Dave worked as an investigative reporter at WCMH-TV in Columbus, Ohio, followed by reporting roles at WLWT in Cincinnati and WJW-TV in Cleveland, where he became known as the “go-to” live reporter for major developing stories.
At NBC affiliate WKYC in Cleveland, Dave served as Executive Producer and Investigative Reporter for the Target 3 I-Team. During his tenure, he earned twenty-two journalism awards, including six Emmy Awards, four “Best Reporter in Ohio” honors from the Society of Professional Journalists, an additional “Best Reporter in Ohio” recognition from the Ohio Associated Press, and eleven “Best Reporting” awards from the Cleveland Press Club.
Though San Diego marked a major change from his Ohio roots, Dave quickly became a familiar and respected face in the community. Energetic, outgoing, and relentlessly curious, he brings both experience and passion to every assignment.
When he’s not chasing a story, you might find Dave walking his Westie, Carter, on a local golf course — or anchoring investigative coverage on NBC 7 News at 4, 5, 6, and 11 p.m.
The Latest
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Body of popular YouTube fisherman from California found in Mexican waters
After a nearly week-long search, the body of a San Diego fisherman and popular YouTuber who went missing during a fishing excursion off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, has been found.
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Plane miraculously lands safely on San Diego highway during rush hour
The aircraft, a six-seater Cessna built in 2005, came to a halt just north of the Tierrasanta Boulevard exit in the median of the freeway.
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Calif. college student survives being shot in the head by errant bullet through her bedroom wall
A 20-year-old San Diego City College student, living with her grandmother in a downtown condominium near the Gaslamp District, survived being struck in the head by an errant bullet that was shot into her bedroom.
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Calif. Responders Help Woman Give Birth on Interstate After Car Breaks Down Minutes From Hospital
A woman went into labor on the shoulder of a San Diego County freeway Tuesday morning after her car broke down just a mile and a half from the hospital.
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Friends Mourn San Diego Woman Who Died After Man Jumped From Building, Landed on Her
A kind friend, always there to listen. A fearless woman who had found her voice. A talented event planner with a knack for details. That’s how a close friend will forever remember the woman tragically killed in downtown San Diego when a suicidal man jumped from a building, landing on top of her.
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Calif. Law Professor Under Fire for Blog Post Blaming Pandemic on Chinese Government
A University of San Diego law professor is under fire for what even the school is calling disparaging and biased language used in a blog post about the suspected origin of the coronavirus, a conspiracy the Chinese government denies. Because the investigation into these remarks is just starting, NBC 7 is not naming the tenured professor or his blog page….
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Mask-Refusing Woman Who Tried to Shame San Diego Barista Now Suing Creator of Viral GoFundMe Page
The man who created the viral “Tips for Lenin” GoFundMe page is being sued by the San Diego woman who tried to shame the Starbucks barista online for following COVID-19 safety protocols and refusing to serve her.
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Calif. Man Arrested After Trying to Kidnap Boy, 2, From Moving Car in Costco Lot
The parents who fought off a would-be kidnapper in a Costco parking lot over the weekend say the encounter has them uneasy and looking over their shoulders at all times.
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California Veteran Convicted of Torturing Neighbors' Dogs on List for Early Release
David Herbert, an honorably discharged disabled veteran, was sentenced to nearly nine years behind bars. He has served just 17 months
