>> david: tonight, the major accidents, multiple crashes on highways and interstates here in the northeast. the images coming in now. also breaking tonight, what's now being reported about that black hawk helicopter over the potomac. we had not heard this. tonight, president trump's buyout offer for millions of federal workers, take the buyout or risk being fired, now put on hold by a judge amid questions if it's legal. first tonight, the ice and snow, multiple accidents across the northeast.

pennsylvania up through new york and massachusetts. a police officer jumping out of the way, heavy ice taking down trees. hundreds of flights canceled. and tonight, a new storm right behind it set to hit all over again. lee goldberg has the forecast. new reporting tonight on the plane crash, the collision over the potomac, as the black hawk is now pulled from the water. what they're now reporting tonight about a warning system on the black hawk. was it turned off? martha raddatz and what she's learned. tonight, just hours before that midnight deadline for millions of federal workers who were sent an email titled "fork in the road," take a buyout or risk being fired. tonight, a federal judge putting president trump's buyout offer on hold, amid questions about whether it's lawful. tonight, president trump defending his proposal after declaring the u.s. would own gaza, saying the palestinians would leave, suggesting egypt and jordan would take them. well tonight, what egypt is now saying about this. the white house now saying this would be temporary. and abc news learning some of the president's top advisers

were caught off guard by all of this. tonight, the plane crash killing a u.s. marine and three contractors. military officials say they were on an intelligence flight. just in tonight, a harrowing view now of those deadly fires in california. you'll see the first responders rescuing seniors in the middle of the emergency. what they did with the flames closing in. the disturbing scene in church. a priest attacked during a prayer service, the accused attacker charging the altar, attacking the priest. in new york city tonight, the gruesome discovery. what was found in a suitcase in the east river. tonight here, we remember the 102-year-old owner of one of the most famous football teams in america. and "america strong" tonight. the gift for a mother who leaves for work before the sun comes up. what they did, the messages from her toddler. and you'll see it right here.

>> david: good evening. we begin tonight with the treacherous driving, multiple accidents across several states. a dangerous mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. cars and trucks colliding. many right off the roads, from the midwest right into the northeast. and tonight, a new storm coming right behind this. the images tonight, an icy crash slowing traffic on i-70 to a crawl. one of dozens of accidents. this is the kansas city area. in ohio, a car sliding off the road, right up an embankment there. the snow reaching the northeast. plows clearing the snowy roads. this is hamden, connecticut. many schools across the northeast were closed for the day. de-icing planes during whiteout at new hampshire's portsmouth international airport. the system spawning an ef-1 tornado, as well. in hart county, kentucky, 95-mile-an-hour winds. tonight, a new fast-moving storm will sweep across the country, hitting all over again. these images from bellevue, washington, where it started already. the accidents on the 405. and now headed east. meteorologist lee goldberg has the timing for this, when it hits the midwest and the northeast again. but first, trevor ault tonight with the images coming in now.

>> reporter: tonight, a treacherous mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain making for a white-knuckle drive home for millions. on the pennsylvania turnpike southeast of pittsburgh, this tractor trailer stranded. ice covering trees and weighing down power lines. road crews have been working through the night here outside philadelphia. the pennsylvania department of transportation says they've had 400 trucks putting down salt just in this area. crashes littering the massachusetts turnpike near boston. and near cumberland, maine, cars on that critical artery, i-95, at a standstill after multiple accidents. overnight, at least 20 crashes on i-94 south of milwaukee. this officer diving out of the way. >> you're safe in your car. open your window. >> reporter: authorities shutting the interstate for hours. two officers hurt. and across the chicago area, multiple multi-vehicle crashes. cars into trees and fences. even a fire truck had trouble on the icy roads. pedestrians struggling to keep

their footing. the storm system, a clash of cold arctic air from the north and record warmth from the south that's spawning powerful thunderstorms. south of louisville, kentucky, a confirmed ef-1 tornado with 95-mile-an-hour winds tearing up a farm in hart county. and david, just as temperatures are starting to warm, now another storm system is moving in right behind this one. it's going to impact many of the same areas this weekend. david? >> david: all right, trevor ault, thank you. and on that point, trevor, this new storm system on the way. let's get right to chief meteorologist lee goldberg of wabc. well, lee, take us through it. >> david, you can't sleep on this pattern. it's an assembly line of storms in the west, and they're racing across the country. so, the icy mix that's leaving the northeast tonight, there's already winter storm watches for the weekend storm from new york city to hartford to boston. now, that storm is slamming the west coast right now. there's heavy rain north of san francisco, flood watches, some of that rain is creeping down

through southern california. there could be several feet of snow in the sierra and the rockies. so, that moves out, and tracks toward the upper midwest. and that will be there by late friday night and into early saturday morning, could be upwards of six inches in the twin cities. and then to the northeast. come later saturday and saturday night, snow moves in, could be several inches on the i-95 corridor. david, there are two more storms next week. >> david: all right, we'll get to those next week. lee goldberg with us again tonight. lee, thank you. in the meantime, we turn to the other news this thursday night. we do have new reporting at this hour involving that black hawk helicopter, of course involved in the horrific midair collision over the potomac. the ntsb and faa briefed lawmakers behind closed doors today, and the senator after that meeting who said the black hawk helicopter was equipped with a key navigation safety tool, but that it was turned off. here's martha raddatz tonight. >> reporter: crews tonight lifting the mangled wreckage of that army black hawk helicopter from the frigid potomac river, eight days after it collided into an american airlines jet midair, leaving 67 people dead.

the ntsb briefing lawmakers behind closed doors today. senator ted cruz saying that helicopter had turned off a crucial safety system. >> this was a training mission, so, there was no compelling national security reason for ads-b to be turned on. the black hawk had a transponder, so it would appear on radar, but ads-b out is significantly more accurate. >> reporter: that system, automatic dependent surveillance broadcast, or ads-b, tracks the location of aircraft by gps, showing altitude and ground speed, as well as where other aircraft are around them. experts say it's significantly more accurate than radar. >> if it got vips on board, they'll turn the ads-b off, so people won't be able to tell where they are for security reasons. ads-b on for regular training missions where security may not be as necessary. >> reporter: investigators say that army helicopter was flying

above the maximum 200-foot altitude when it slammed into the plane as it made its final approach to reagan national airport. and tonight, the ntsb saying preliminary data confirms the pilots of that black hawk were wearing night vision goggles at the time of the crash, which experts say can make flying over city lights challenging. the ads-b and the night vision goggles are all part of the investigation, but a key question is why the black hawk pilots said they had the passenger plane in sight, visually, when clearly they did not. the faa now reviewing all airports with high volume of helicopter and airplane traffic. david? >> david: martha raddatz with the late reporting for us. martha, thank you. tonight, the new developments just hours before this midnight deadline for millions of federal workers to take a buyout or risk being fired. a federal judge now putting president trump's plan on hold until at least monday. unions filing to stop it, calling it unlawful. today, president trump praising elon musk, who helped engineer the plan.

the president saying musk is very good at helping the government cut costs. that email sent to federal workers titled "fork in the road," suggesting take the buyout or risk being cut. here's our senior political correspondent rachel scott tonight. >> reporter: tonight, just hours from the midnight deadline, a federal judge putting president trump's buyout offer for 2 million federal workers on hold, after unions called it arbitrary and unlawful. the white house says the ruling just gives workers more time to take advantage of what they call a once-in-a-lifetime offer. >> it's going to save the american people tens of millions of dollars, and we encourage federal workers in this city to accept the very generous offer. >> reporter: it's been nine days since federal workers received this email, with a stark choice. resign now and be paid through september, or run the risk of being laid off. the email's titled, "fork in the road." the same one billionaire elon musk used when he slashed the workforce at twitter. sheria smith, a civil rights attorney at the department of education and a union official,

calls the offer insulting. >> members of this administration think so little of us and our commitment to the public that we would take an offer like this. and end our careers with the public. >> reporter: but the administration says more than 60,000 government workers have taken the buyout deal. we spoke with one of them, who did not want to be identified. >> i kind of debated it for the night, and i was like, should i do it, should i not do it? and then i finally did respond for resign, and then i just waited. >> reporter: his email was acknowledged, but since then, confusion and frustration. >> i thought, well, okay, i'll wait maybe a day or two, i'll hear from somebody, and then nothing. dead silence. i would go to my computer and check, thinking, well, maybe it's late at night and they're working, and nothing would come and nothing would comment and then i was, like, nervous. >> reporter: sheria smith says workers should not count on this deal. >> i don't trust it at all. >> reporter: today president trump heaping praise on musk and

his overall mission to cut costs. >> elon musk is helping us on it. and he's pretty good. he's pretty good. pretty good at it. >> reporter: musk and his team digging into federal agencies over the weekend. taking over usaid, the relief agency that helped an estimated 32 million children suffering malnutrition, and brought food, water, shelter, and health care to victims of natural disasters. tonight, sources tell us usaid's global workforce will soon be reduced from roughly 14,000 people to fewer than 300 employees. an internal email shared with abc news shows just 12 employees to be assigned to the entire continent of africa. and only 21 to the whole middle east. and david, back to those buyouts. the judge will hold another hearing on monday. the administration insisting tonight that this program has not been blocked or canceled, but layoffs are on the horizon. health agencies, including the cdc, have been asked to rank their newest employees, david. >> david: rachel scott at the

white house tonight. rachel, thank you. tonight, president trump defending his proposal for gaza, after declaring the u.s. would own it. the president saying the palestinians would leave, and that egypt and jordan would take them in. tonight, what egypt is now saying about this. the president saying of the plan, people love it. and tonight, abc news learning some of the president's top advisers were caught off guard by this. here's our chief white house correspondent mary bruce tonight. >> reporter: tonight, amid growing questions and outrage, president trump defending his announcement that the u.s. would, quote, own gaza. >> i hope my greatest legacy when it's all finished will be known as a peacemaker. >> reporter: trump writing on social media, "the gaza strip would be turned over to the united states by israel at the conclusion of the fighting. after palestinians were resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes in the region." what trump hasn't said -- what authority does the u.s. have to take over this sovereign territory? who would pay for rebuilding? the white house insists it won't

be the u.s. and who would ultimately govern gaza and live there? trump initially said it was his intention to remove palestinians from gaza permanently. the white house then walking that back, saying it would be temporary. the president suggesting jordan and egypt would take the palestinians. but egypt today completely rejecting that idea, calling trump's plan "a blatant violation" of international law, saying egypt "will not be part of it." the former real estate developer adamant that he can turn gaza into one of the greatest and most spectacular developments of its kind on earth, without the u.s. military getting involved. declaring, "no soldiers by the u.s. would be needed." making the rounds on capitol hill, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu backing trump's plan, which he's called the first good idea he's heard. >> mr. netanyahu, do you think u.s. troops are needed in gaza? to make president trump's plan feasible? >> no. >> reporter: the president suggested the plan was long in the works.

>> everybody i've spoken to loves the idea of the united states owning that piece of land. >> reporter: but tonight, we've learned many of his top advisers were caught off guard. officials at the pentagon unaware. some of the president's top allies on the hill blindsided. >> obviously gaza's not ours, it's sovereign, it's part of another country, right? and all that needs to be worked out. >> reporter: david, the president is leaning into this plan, but his administration is still struggling to explain how this would actually work. and by all accounts, this was not well briefed to officials at the defense department or here at the white house, leaving them scrambling to respond. david? >> david: mary bruce with us again tonight. mary, thank you. we turn now to a deadly plane crash overseas. a u.s. marine and three contractors onboard have been killed. the plane contracted by the pentagon flying an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission when it went down in the philippines. witnesses reportedly saw smoke coming from the plane and an explosion right here before the crash. back here in the u.s. tonight, we have disturbing

video showing the attack of a priest during a mass in spokane, washington. police say the suspect charging the altar. here's kayna whitworth. >> reporter: tonight, frightening moments during a mass inside this spokane, washington, cathedral. with hundreds of worshippers gathered, a man suddenly standing up and charging the altar, then attacking one of the priests. trying to punch him in the face. >> aah! >> it's all right, just calm down. it's okay. it's all right. it's okay. it's okay. it's all right. >> someone get the security guard. >> i thought it was kind of that situation where the guy was just running into the sanctuary, but clearly, it was potentially much more violent. >> reporter: parishioners and a security guard are seen rushing to the altar where they hold the man down until police arrived. the priest unharmed. >> all of us were pretty shaken. you don't expect to see something like that when you're just gathering together to pray and to worship. >> reporter: police arresting 40-year-old joshua summers and later charging him with assault. he was seen in court today. >> we all prayed for him.

we just stopped the service and prayed for him. because, again, whatever -- whatever demons he was struggling with needed to be healed. >> reporter: and david, tonight, summers is behind bars. police say he was also wanted for an alleged attack on a worker at a mental health facility in 2023, and, david, he'll be back in court later this month. >> david: really difficult images. kayna whitworth tonight. kayna, thank you. there are also new images emerging of the harrowing rescues during the devastating wildfires in southern california. take a look. first responders racing through the smoke, flames, and flying embers of the deadly eaton fire. 17 people were killed. but police and firefighters evacuating the two palms care center. some seniors there taken out in their wheelchairs. rescuers moving through the building, carefully taking seniors out of their beds, getting them to safety as the out-of-control fire closed in. the nursing home, with dozens of patients, was then destroyed by that fire. just incree, those firefighters are heroes. when we come back here tonight, we remember the

102-year-old owner of one of the nfl's most famous teams. and here in new york city tonight, the gruesome discovery. what was found in a suitcase floating in the east river. the latest on the investigation in a moment. a little somethin. a little something, dad? oh, umm. hi. walt rolled his 401k accounts into an empower ira and it's grown nicely. so i say, let a gramps be a gramps. okay, just promise me it doesn't make a lot of noise. (engine roars) (♪) go, baby! go! (♪) thanks, grandpa! get good at money. so you can be a little bad. empower. (vo) dan made progress with his mental health, but his medication caused unintentional movements in his face, hands, and feet called tardive dyskinesia, or td. so his doctor prescribed austedo xr— a once-daily, extended-release td treatment for adults. ♪ as you go with austedo ♪ austedo xr significantly reduced dan's td movements. some people saw a response as early as 2 weeks.

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you need fungicure intensive spray. fungicure kills 6 types of stubborn toe fungus. sandal season, here you come! kobayashi healthcare. if it hurts, we help. ♪ “billathi askara” by björn jason lindh ♪ [metal creaking] [camera zooming] ♪ [window slamming] woman: [gasps] [dog barking] ♪ woman: [screams] ♪ [explosion] [explosion] ♪ [lock clicks shut] >> david: tonight here in new york city, police are investigating human remains found in a suitcase floating in the east river. a police harbor unit retrieving the suitcase near governor's island. authorities have not yet identified the victim. the medical examiner is now trying to determine the cause of death. when we come back here

tonight, the sentencing just moments ago, shohei ohtani's former interpreter and the gambling. well, the sentence just given. and remembering the 102-year-old owner tonight of one of the most famous teams in america. th dupixent as they welcome the feeling of touch with clearer skin and less itch. the #1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists helps heal their skin from within. severe allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for face, mouth, tongue or throat swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing. tell your doctor of new or worsening eye problems, like eye pain, vision changes, or blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma or other medicines without talking to your doctor. ask your child's doctor about dupixent.

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>> david: to "the index" of other news tonight, just moments ago, the former interpreter for dodgers star shohei ohtani was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for stealing $17 million from ohtani to pay off his gambling debts. ippei mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank fraud. he says he impersonated ohtani during two dozen calls to the bank. we do have a passing to note tonight. we learned today that virginia halas mccaskey has died. the longtime owner of the chicago bears. she took over the team in 1983, following the death of her father, bears founder george halas. the team saying every decision she made was based on what was best for the players and the fans. virginia mccaskey was 102. when we come back here tonight, the mother who has to leave before the sun comes up for work. what her husband and 2-year-old started doing for her. started doing for her. you have to see this.

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like wealth plan to keep you on track. when you're planning for it all... the answer is j.p. morgan wealth management. even with my mom's alzheimer's, we've still been close. but when she developed agitation that may happen with dementia due to alzheimer's disease, a distance came between us. she'd get upset when i'd try to help, began wandering, even started swearing. she got agitated often. so, we talked to her doctor. rexulti is the only fda-approved medication proven to reduce agitation symptoms that may happen with dementia due to alzheimer's disease. elderly people with dementia-related psychosis have increased risk of death or stroke. report fever, stiff muscles, and confusion, which can be life-threatening, or uncontrolled muscle movements, which may be permanent. high blood sugar can lead to coma or death; weight gain, increased cholesterol, unusual urges, dizziness on standing, falls, seizures, trouble swallowing, or sleepiness may occur. rexulti helped reduce my mom's symptoms.

take action for your loved one. talk to their doctor today about rexulti. >> david: finally tonight here, the surprise for the mother when she went back to work. tonight, in charlotte, north carolina, the surprise gift for a mother already at work. she has to leave before the sun comes up. and suddenly, the message on her phone through the doorbell camera. >> bye, mama. say bye, mama. love you, mama. >> love you, mama. >> david: it turns out the messages began a few months ago when mom, hannah bell, started going back to work, before her son landon, who is nearly 2, wakes up. so dad george had an idea. a way for mom to see her little

boy every morning. >> go ahead, ring it. say bye-bye, mom. >> bye, mama. >> love you. >> david: landon blowing mom a kiss. >> say, i'll see you tonight. >> night. >> have a great day at work. >> ma. >> david: wishing mom a good morning every morning. >> blow her kiss? >> david: and right here tonight -- >> hi. >> say ding dong. hey, david, and welcome to north carolina. >> david: the bell family. hannah, george, and little landon. >> mama. >> hi, mama. >> i don't get to see them every morning, so, it brightens my day. >> he always asks for mama in the morning, and a lot of times she's gone for work. and i just thought one way we could connect is push the doorbell button, and he could leave her a sweet little message. >> david: and tonight here, their message to every parent out there who has to leave for work in the morning. >> if you have to be away from your family for a little while, just know they're always thinking about you, and hopefully that gets you through

the day. bye! >> bye! >> david: the messages helping a mom and helping us get through our day, too. i'll see you tomorrow. good night. and we're not in the clear yet. >> that's right. i'm tracking the wet, windy weather. i'm meteorologist sandhya patel. i'll let you know how long this level two storm is sticking around. >> i want our kids to feel that same sense of pride that we had growing up. >> san francisco's new mayor follows through on a promise he made the day he was inaugurated to better patrol some of the city's most popular places. plus. >> what do you do with a gun when you when you first. >> you just, like, cocked it? or like i heard the click. >> you hear like a click. >> yeah, yeah. >> she was one of several people robbed at gunpoint by the same man. he was caught and

convicted. and tonight the i-team asks the public defender why she asked for leniency in sentencing. >> always live. abc seven news starts right now. >> and as you see, live doppler seven is lit up by tonight's storm. it has brought rain and wind to the bay area today. they are dodging the raindrops durina downpour in walnut creek, and boats are getting bounced around amid waves and whitecaps. good evening. thank you for joining us. i'm ama daetz. >> and i'm dan ashley. today's storm ranks level two on the exclusive abc7 news storm impact scale. that makes it a moderate storm. >> yes, it does make it worthy of team coverage, of course. and to see what the weather is doing to the bay area and where the worst is hitting right now. we want to begin with meteorologist sandhya patel, who is trackingst the storm, but i can't wait to get to cornell and his shot with all that wind and rain. sandhya. >> yeah. i mean, it is coming down where cornell is. ama and dan. let's take a look at live

pict