making news in america this morning, the battle between congress and the white house is escalating. president trump in a new interview signals he won't allow former white house counsel don mcgahn to testify. meanwhile, democrats threaten to hold the attorney general in contempt accusing him of lying to congress. this morning what's next. an al qaeda trained terrorist who planned to bomb the new york city subway is about to walk free. why the judge agreed to give him a second chance. a new twist in the college admissions scandal. why a mother claimed she was duped into paying $6.5 million to get her daughter into stanford and what her daughter said after getting accepted. plus, the man who fell 70 feet into hawaii's kilauea volcano.

two swimmers in florida swept out to sea for hours getting some divine intervention. and tributes pouring in for one of the most beloved characters in movie history. everyone from harrison ford to george lucas weighing in. this morning we remember the original chewbacca. good morning, everyone. we made it to friday and we begin this morning wit battle heats up over the mueller report. >> the president is now making it clear that he'll block key players from testifying and house speaker nancy pelosi is now unleashing on attorney general william barr accusing him of lying under oath. abc's lana zak has the latest from washington. good morning, lana. >> reporter: good morning. happy friday to you, kenneth and janai. this fight is far from over. the justice department in fact firing back at congressional

democrats saying that their attacks on the attorney general are baseless. congressional democrats have not decided if they plan to hold attorney general william barr in contempt, but the top leadership isn't holding back. >> as the attorney of the united states of america was not telling the truth to the congress of the united states. that's a crime. >> reporter: after barr decided to stand up the house judiciary committee, democrats left open his seat and accused barr of trying to evade their questions. >> the attorney general apparently is afraid of proper cross-examination. >> reporter: committee chair jerry nadler says he'll continue to try to work with the justice department and barr's team to get a new testimony date scheduled and the full mueller report released to congress but pursuing other testimony including former white house counsel don mcgahn but president trump tells fox he's not going to let that happen. >> i don't think i can let him and then tell everyone else you can't, but especially him

because he was a counsel. i would say it's done. >> reporter: the president made predictions about who would be his democratic challenger. >> i'd be very happy if it were biden. sleepy joe. i'd be happy with bernie. i personally think it's those two. >> reporter: and said he does not think that russia will interfere with the 2020 election despite a recent warning from his own fbi director that russia is upping its game. >> i don't think i've spoken about the 2020 but i have told him you can't do what you're doing. >> reporter: we've learned that special counsel robert mueller's team has been in touch with the house judiciary committee about trying to set up a testimony for him. of course, those details are still being worked out and we'll be sure to report them as soon as we learn. kenneth, janai. >> still so much to watch and pay close attention to. lana, thank you. we turn to the sentence handed down to an al qaeda trained terrorist who planned to bomb the new york city subway back in 2009. he could soon walk free a judge agreed to give him a second chance saying he's earned

it. this morning a would-be bomber is about to be set free. >> this attempted attack on our homeland was real. it was in motion and it would have been deadly. >> reporter: at the time his plot to attack america was called one of the most serious threats to the u.s. since the september 11th attacks. zazi traveled to pakistan in 200 and trained with al qaeda in weapons and explosives. when he returned to the u.s. he and two friends planned the attack. their mission, rush hour suicide bombings on the new york city subway on the anniversary of 9/11. zazi drove across the country and into new york, but later backed out after learning the fbi was on to his plan. he was arrested on september 12th, pleaded guilty and faced life in prison, but then prosecutors say his cooperation in america's fight against al qaeda was, quote, extraordinary revealing key details of the terror group's training, movements and recruitment methods. >> justice was definitely served in this instance.

>> reporter: a federal judge told zazi this once unthinkable second chance has come your way and you earned it. lawyers on both sides say zazi is a changed man. >> mr. zazi, who i met a long time ago, almost ten years ago who was a young, young man has changed dramatically. the reality is that the light at the end of the tunnel is extremely bright for him. >> in a letter to the judge he apologized for his choices and could walk free in a matter of days but will be on super vietsed release for the rest of his life. as for the other men involved, they're still in prison. another tragedy for a migrant family trying to cross into the united states. a 10-month-old baby has died after their raft capsized in the rio grande.

it happened along the texas border where abc news witnessed these scenes earlier of desperate families trying to make that crossing. the child's father was caught by border patrol agents who rescued the mother and sister from the liver. four peopled died in violent clashes between protesters and police in venezuela. we showed you the video earlier this week. in a show of defiance maduro appeared thursday at an army base flanked by soldiers. the u.s. continues to support juan guaido and has even warned of possible military action. a mother in the college admissions bribery scandal claims she was tricked into paying $6.5 million to get her daughter into stanford university. molly zhao's mother released a statement saying she thought the money was to help students and staff. mrs. zhao claims her daughter is a victim of a scam organized by the scandal's mastermind rick singer. singer pleaded guilty to four penalties. the zhaos have not been charged. when she was accepted molly zhao posted a video on social media saying, quote, you can achieve the things you want if you try hard.

a family of four has been found dead near columbus, ohio, apparently from carbon monoxide poisoning. a relative called 911 to request a wellness check. paramedics found the bodies when they arrived at the home. investigators are now working to confirm the source. some cities along the mississippi river are bracing for record flooding. the swollen river levels are above 22 1/2 feet. nearly as high as the historic flood of 1993. sandbagging is under way and voluntary evacuations are recommended. more than 50 tornadoes have touched down in five states this week scattering debris and ripping rooftops apart and overturning big rigs. check out this spectacular light show unleashed by the thunderstorms in the skies over northern texas. let's take a look now at your osiday forecast. texas once again, mainly south of dallas, west of houston for our friday into our friday evening.

damaging wind gusts as well as flash flooding possible. same threats across parts of pennsylvania from philly to d.c. back towards charleston and rain up into new england but not as likely to be severe. still going to be unsettled for the weekend across the south into the northeast including louisville which they are running the kentucky derby saturday looking unsettled and wet once again this year. i'm accuweather meteorologist adam del rosso. coming up, the alligator that tried to ring the doorbell. but first a decision by facebook causing controversy. the list of so-called dangerous people the company is now banning. and see how harrison ford and others are paying tribute to "star wars'" original chewbacca.

er fa bug casergeant kenth hton the car burst into flames. she was trapped after the car hit a guardrail and flipped over but she suffered only minor injuries. quick thinking there by that officer. facebook is cracking down on several high-profile people it describes as dangerous. banning them from its platform and from instagram. they include alex jones who promoted conspiracy theories that the sandy hook massacre was fabricated and louis farrakhan from the nation of islam who's frequently been criticize for his anti-semitic remarks. facebook says those who peddle in violence and hate violate its policies. several rights groups support the move. others say it amounts to censorship. meanwhile, according to "the wall street journal" facebook is about to launch its own cryptocurrency payment system similar to bitcoin. "the journal" reports facebook hopes to attract users by avoiding credit card-style fees

and offer financial ros who cho currency. the tributes are pouring in for the actor who played the lovable wookie chewbacca, one of the most revered characters in the "star wars" galaxy. hey humayhew hasmayhew h abc's clayton sandell looks at why he was so beloved. >> reporter: the hero with the famous roar that only his faithful companion han solo could understand. >> you said it, chewy. >> reporter: seen here in "star wars: a new hope." but chewbacca became a beloved fan favorite. >> will somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way? >> reporter: thanks to peter mayhew. he passed away tuesday by a heart attack surrounded by family. mayhew towered 7'4" working as an orderly in a london hospital when discovered. "star wars" creator george lucas saying he was the closest any

human being could be to a wookiee and i always learned to let him win. co-star harrison ford adding we were partners in film and friends in life for over 30 years and i loved him. >> laugh it up, fuzz ball. >> reporter: despite declining health and double knee replacement surgery -- >> getting back to the old ways of doing things. >> reporter: mayhew returned to the role he made famous in 2015's "the force awakens." >> chewy, we're home. >> reporter: until the end he was a constant fixture greeting fans with his famous roar. now remembered throughout the galaxy. mayhew was 74. i'm clayton sandell. >> throughout the galaxy into the heavens there. a.> coming up, mt e but first two teenagers swimming at a florida beach are swept out to sea. they tell us how their prayers were answered. and the terrifying details after a tourist falls into hawaii's kilauea volcano. rheum.

because there are options. like an "unjection™". xeljanz xr. a once-daily pill for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well enough. xeljanz xr can reduce pain, swelling and further joint damage, even without methotrexate. xeljanz xr can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma have happened. as have tears in the stomach or intestines, serious allergic reactions, low blood cell counts, higher liver tests and cholesterol levels. don't start xeljanz xr if you have an infection. your doctor should perform blood tests before and while taking xeljanz xr, and monitor certain liver tests. tell your doctor if you've been somewhere fungal infections are common and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. needles. fine for some things. but for you, one pill a day may provide symptom relief. ask your doctor about xeljanz xr. an "unjection™". let's talk about thisd when we meet next week.

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>> oh, my god. can you believe that? that's an alligator making a house call in south carolina. it appears to be trying to ring the doorbell at this home in myrtle beach, but the homeowner didn't answer. nope, she's not inside. she's the one who shot this video as that gator was trying to ring her bell. she also called authorities to have that intruder removed. we turn now to a miracle at sea. two teenagers became stranded off the coast of florida. they were praying for a rescue. >> and that's what they got. help arrived from a boat with a heavenly name. this morning, a miracle at sea. >> i just cried out, and i was like, god, please don't let this be the end. like i still want to see my family again. >> reporter: for tyler smith and heather brown, their fun day at the beach near jacksonville, florida, began just like any other when they decided to swim to a sandbar. >> a football, kicking a soccer ball and we see these people

standing out at the sandbar and we're like, hey, that looks pretty cool. it's not that far from the shore so we started d t ttle couges a decided to go swim agent little more. >> the high school seniors were unaware they were swimming straight into a dangerous rip current. smith and brown were carried two miles into the ocean crying out for help and praying. about 30 minutes later their prayers were answered in the form of a 53-foot yacht named "amen." >> they pulled me up. heather pulled me or pulled me to the side, and she said, hey, do you know the name of the boat and i said, no, what's the name and she said amen and that's when i broke down and cried. >> reporter: the captain of "amen" just set sail to new jersey when they spotted the teens in the water off delray beach. >> they didn't have life jackets on and they were treading water. both were barely keeping their heads above water at that time. >> there's no doubt it wasn't him that just plucked us out of that water with the boat named "amen." >> amen.

>> the captain of "amen" will share more of his story on "good morning america" later today. >> let me say it again, amen. a tourist ended up in the hospital after falling into the crater of kilauea's volcano. the 32-year-old army soldier fell 70 feet. park officials say he was on a 300-foot cliff and that's he wanted to get a better view and that's when the ground gave way. >> the gentleman, part of a group, stepped over the safety railing and slipped literally off the edge into the crater. he obviously is doing remarkably well for his fall. you know, time will tell what injuries he has. >> he was taken to the hospital in critical condition. it took more than three hours for rescuers to get him out of that crater. >> scary. the billionaire founder of a drug company and four top executives have been found guilty in connection with an opioid bribery scheme. john kapoor, the former ceo of insys therapeutics, was accused of bribing doctors to prescribe an addictive fentanyl spray to

patients who did not need the painkiller. this is the first conviction of a drug company's ceo in the federal government's battle against the opioid epidemic. in sports, the philadelphia 76ers have taken the lied in their playoff series beating the raptors last night, 116-95 and they now lead the series, 2-1. meanwhile in hockey both the bruins and the avalanche won last night. after some fierce competition, we have a new miss usa. she was crowned last night. take a look. >> north carolina. cheslie kryst of north carolina will now represent the united states in the miss universe a she's lawyer who provides free representation to prison inmates fighting to reduce their sentences and when she was asked for a word to describe her generation, she said, innovative. innovative. her answer was amazing. >> it was incredible. up next in "the

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decrease alcohol use. use caution driving or operating machinery. telld meealth problems. e mo comg talk to your doctor about chantix. ♪ wasting away again in margaritaville ♪ time to check "the pulse" on this friday. a new study finds our taste buds have nothing to do with why we like coffee or beer. >> we just do. researchers at northwestern university say the reason we those bitter-tasting drinks is all in our minds and discovered

we drink beer and coffee because we like the way they make us feel. >> apparently both have properties that coffee gives us a euphoric feeling while alcohol calms us down depending on the time. >> at what time you switch over, coffee, coffee, coffee, beer. >l meals.ls that come in a variety of moods because, quote, no one is happy all the time. shade. among the moods reflected include the blue feel meal, the salty meal and a couple of others we can't mention on tv. >> oh, the real meals are only available until the end of may as part of mental health awareness month. that is a very interesting way to mark the month. very cool. >> it is. it's also an interesting way to go after mcdonald's. >> you're right. >> as well. a follow-up now on that son of the hedgehog. the popular '90s video game character making the jump to the big screen. >> paramount is now going back

to the drawing board to give sonic a new look after fans got a sneak peek and panned his appearance in the movie trailer. >> uh, meow. >> aaaghh. >> oh, come on. >> okay, pal, i want answers. >> basically it looks like i'm going to have to save your planet. >> so filmmakers say they'll redesign sonic after fans, remember we told you, they criticized his weirdly human teeth and legs. ? they only have about six months to complete the makeover. the movie is set to be released in november. >> that's a lot of work. >> we haven't seen tails yet. they better make sure he's correct. now you can add dad bod, antivaxxer and ew to the list of words now fair game. >> ew. it's been updated with an additional 2800 other options. they include bae, blud

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making news now at 4:27, breaking news in the east bay. you see a car that slammed into a house in castro valley. we are live on the scene. also, a woman accused of posing as a nanny and victimizing bay area families is in jail this morning. only on 7 the exclusive video of darlene marianna monticalvo just after her arrest. and welcome news for california's water supply. the snowpack is still deep and is melting slowly. good morning. we made it to friday, may 3rd. 4:27. let's get over to meteorologist mike nicco. do we have some nice weather in store, mike? we really do today. it will change as we head deeper into the weekend with the chance of wet weather sunday night into monday. for now waking up chilly, mid-40s to low 50s. we do have a 53 at brentwood for

the warm spot. here is where we end up this afternoon, low to mid-60s along the coast into san francisco. low to mid-70s around the bay and upper 70s in the south bay, the north bay, and low 80s in our east bay valleys. a greater look at the wet weather coming up soon. alexis with the beginning of our commute this morning. good morning, mike. unfortunately, we already have some heavy traffic getting out of the central valley. we'll take you to tracy now on our traffic maps. we do have one of three lanes closed. they should be done -- they should have been done around 4:00 this morning. four miles an hour, seven miles an hour on 205. it is heavy and on top of that the exit to grant line road is closed likely until about 5:00 this morning. already tough out of the tracy stretch. looks like crews are wrapping up road work overnight. you can see them in the parking lot, and barely anybody on the westbound side of 580. breaking news in the east bay. police are investigating how a

car crashed into a house. >> it happened on parsons avenue in castro valley. abc 7 news reporter amy hollyfield is there for us. amy? >> reporter: police have taken away the car, natasha, but you can get a look at the damage done to this home. the car crashed right into the garage here. two elderly women live here and the car, according to a neighbor, narrowly missed their bedrooms where they were awake watching television. they were not hurt. here is a look at the car when it was crashed into the house. the neighbor tells me it was very loud. the red cross is helping the women now find a place to stay. the gas and power has been turned off to the home but they are okay, and the neighbor says what happened the driver of the car that crashed had stolen the car in a carjacking, was being pursued by police when he crashed into this home. we're told he did run away from the scene, then he stole another car.

so there is a second location involved. this is castro valley and grove way. this is the second stolen car. and the second crash. we do not know if he was arrested here or escaped again. we are working to get those details. the neighbor here told us he was afraid to go on camera because such violent crimes were involved in this. he is feeling nervous but a very helpful man giving us information. we watched as he helped wheel one of the women who is in a wheelchair into the home. very nice to see one neighbor helping these women out as they deal with this very scary ordeal. amy hollyfield, abc 7 news. that is scary. thank you so much, amy. it is 4:30. if you're just waking up to us, it's friday. here is a look at your weather