driver. the man is identified as 47-year-old luis rolusco. he has two previous arrests for drunk driving in addition to a drug-related charge. police chief tom major reveals that last thursday night he "smoke dope entering for four hours before choosing to give fine though wheel of his honda crv." a short time later he hit officer leotta who was conducting a traffic stop. he refused to take a breathalyzer test but it did take a blood draw. that will be crucial evidence. chief major issued scathing words at both him and state politicians. this hard-working, caring, dedicated police officer was killed by a drunk driver. he was killed by a man that is interested twice before for drunk driving.

until the state of maryland starts taking these crimes, the crimes of a drunk driver behind the wheel of a car killing someone, until they take it seriously there is no justice for these families. there was the justice for these victims. -- there is no justice for the victims. chief did sayce today there have been 36 traffic deaths in montgomery county this year. .one third of the hands of drunk drivers kevin lewis, abc 7 news. your you can leave condolences for the officer and his family, friends and colleagues. you can leave it at the top of the wjla tv facebook page. maureen: the firestorm over donald trump's ban on muslims is not hurting his poll numbers. one and three republican voters say they were support him.

scott thuman shows how this can affect on the presidential election but other political races nationwide. reporter: it's interesting to see what his popularity or notoriety depending on your viewpoint will have an effect on the rest of the field. elections that are going on nationwide and how those candidate choose to handle it. >> everybody wants to be so politically correct. we have a problem. reporter: the tough talk of donald trump and the backlash by critics helps or hurts the grand old party? is a question republicans are asking themselves. are you worried about the brand of your party? >> absolutely. i think that maybe candidates up another ticket will have to if donald trump represents a republican party that i'm a part of. reporter: taken just before his comments, he was up 13 points in the newest poll of republicans.

>> never been involved in politics. now suddenly he is resonating. he has resonating with the people in speaking our minds. reporter: while inspiring for some, democrats says it plays right into their favor. the countrydamaging and damaging the republican party. hollen saysris van that while his words could be easily criticized by gop leadership, they often don't. they are stuck trying to walk a very fine line. >> it seems pretty clear that they seem to be worried about alienating some of the people that are responding to what donald trump is saying. reporter: there are plenty of benefits says one republican such as airtime. the debates, some of the most watched in history had given other candidates the opportunity

to introduce themselves. and that is a good thing for the party. trump the brand is facing backlash. an online petition calls for a boycott of his $200 million hotel being built right now inside of d.c.'s old post office pavilion. retailers have stopped selling his company products. leon: one of his top competitors is looking forward to virginia. dr. ben carson tweeted this picture today. virginia is one of the 12 states and will be having a primary on march 1, super tuesday. maureen: abc 7 has learned that suspicious letter that force evacuation of a capitol hill building included a hate message. is the headquarters of the council for american islamic relations. three employees were quarantined after finding suspicious substance in the letter. a few tests found no health hazards.

the fbi is investigating the substance and the hate message included with it. a care spokesperson says threatening letters will not stop the efficacy on behalf of muslim americans. leon: this was day two in the defensive william porter for the death of freddie gray. the defense has called several police officials who testified that officers never belted prisoners and police vans. a new -- testified the injury would've prevented him from telling officers he needed medical intervention. porter is the first of six officer standing trial. 's trial is likely to wrap up soon and baltimore officials are preparing for possible unrest. police are not discussing details of the contingency plan. they have barricades ready to be deployed. residents hope they are not needed. >> i hope they don't come to guarding things in going through that again. that was a bad time for our

city. leon: that was when riots broke out in april following freddie gray's death. hoween: next on abc 7 news, the citadel is responding after eight students are shown in pictures apparently trespass klansmen -- dressed as klansmen. search continues for a little girl that disappeared a year and a half after her disappearance. steve: what about the upcoming weekend? all you need to know plus doug hill coming up in just a few minutes.

>> you're watching abc 7 news at 6:00, on your side. citadel has suspended eight students after pictures emerged of them dressed as klansman. they were singing christmas carols during gates get. the citadel was quick to condemn the action, saying it is not part of their core values. the naacp reacted more directly. >> it is stupid on so many levels. if it is what it looks like, then it is grossly insulting it says something about her upbringing.

reporter: the students have not been identified although one is believed to be an upperclassman. they are investigating it was part of a student ritual of some kind. investigation into the san bernardino terror attack. the fbi dive team searched upon you the scene of the attack. we are told it was to make sure no evidence was missed. investigators are also working to see if the marriage of the shooters, syed farook and tashfeen malik was orchestrated by a terror group. some levers are congress are calling the changes to fiancee used.like the one malik leon: to men pleaded guilty today. ronald cheneynd are charged with conspiracy and firearms violations. a judge set march 21 is a trial date. a third defendant, charles haldeman will be arraigned next week. they say they conspired to rob a

coin dealer and spark a race war. maureen: the man accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl is now charged with trying to have her killed. tried toran allegedly hire a hitman to kill the victim and her mother. he was actually an undercover police officer. trial awaiting an abuse charge for next month. why d.c. police have begun a new search for any-year-old girl. leon: a surprise that brought tears to my mother and son in northern virginia. robert: coming up in sports, the caps are piping hot. are the redskins having an identity crisis?

maureen: a new search for the disappearance of a girl has not turned up any new clues. police searched a construction site in northeast washington today. is the right hotel where surveillance video showed her tatum.r captor, kalelle

leon: and of an era today. "washington post" staffers settling into their new space. they left the space occupied for more than four decades. they moved to one franklin square. the old headquarters has a date with a wrecking ball. maureen: christmas came early for a mother and son in manassas. , theff goldberg shows us family got a surprise that will change their lives. reporter: it was opposed to just be a friendly visit. the moment that alvin king and his mother arrived at michael in sons, the owner started heading across the street. >> he started pushing is here. i was like what is going on? reporter: he recently met them ball fixing the broken water

heater as part of the company's community outreach program. it wasinspired by alvin, 32nd born with no legs or arms. today he showed them just how inspired. >> alvin, i got you this. reporter: a specialized 2009 ford been to accommodate his wheelchair valued at about $20,000. debbie and alvin cannot believe it. >> just tears of joy. 'sporter: this is debbie king car. not only has she had help in and out of the vehicle, but had a full to the wheelchair and put it in the back. is another reason why this man will make such an enormous difference. >> a big difference. reporter: alvin fisher to enjoy the ride, much to the delight of. -- >> you met the guy. his heart is pure.

>>. >> i love you guys in god bless. reporter: on a day when love bills the room, he is thinking about taking it and spreading it. >> yet to keeps passing the blessings. reporter: wherever the road takes him. jeff goldberg, abc 7 news. leon: how about that. that is wonderful. makes you feel good when you know the people you live around art that good. alison: most -- maureen: most of them are. leon: how are you getting into the holiday season? maureen: we have asked you to e-mail pictures of your decorations or traditions. we've gotten some surprising results. this is a viewer with four legs. this is sandy showing her husky decked out for the christmas parade. leon: nice going. e-mail us at pics@wjla.com.

we will take a look. we will have the pictures online. maureen: doug hill is out and about at the u.s. botanic gardens today off the national mall. you can hear the music in the background. leon: doug has his own and playing for him. doug: on tuesdays and thursdays their free concerts. this is a group that is here vodka.lockes and the i have been in tv in washington from was 32 years. i will say it now. i have doug hill reporting live from the u.s. supreme court. td but true. this is the supreme court modeled all out of natural plant materials. the supreme court is pinecones for the roof. this is made from acorns and corn husks. every building on the mall is

done this way. it is spectacular. you had that to the music, the plants, the holiday flowers and it is a spectacular setting at the conservatory. they have different rooms and themes. there is a training room. there is a plant room there is a hawaiian room. it's open 365 days of the year. is always 72 degrees in here. let's find out of this weather trend will continue with spectacular sunshine. let's go to steve back in the studio. steve: we will send you over to the ice display at national harbor. doug: no, don't do that. steve: we are looking at 63 degrees. that was the high today and well above average. 1966.cord is 67 back in 54 it falls church right now. 55 in springfield. not a whole lot of really cold air out there, at least not

right now. the milder air south of us. 60 in charlotte and the same in raleigh. a string of days ahead will be very mild. maybe record challenging by the upcoming weekend. high pressure remains in place and that brings us the southerly flow for the overnight hours. we are goingo look for some patchy fog to develop. some places might have a dense fog advisory similar to this morning. you might want to leave a few extra minutes if your heading out the door. see around 45-40 degrees in downtown d.c. day planner looking nice out there. 43 in the morning. by the time our, check out a food truck, 60 degrees. highs will be around 65. the average for this day is normally 48 degrees. we want to keep it going. a look at the seven day outlook

shows daytime highs on saturday at 67 degrees. sunday, 67. may flirt with the 70 degree mark. a cold front on monday will bring us a better chance for showers. it will be wednesday that once the cold front moves through there was not a push a super cold air behind it. temperatures still above average on tuesday and wednesday of next week. 10 degrees above every should be for this time of year. a nice stretch of days on the way and it will coincide with the upcoming weekend. leon: all right. we hope we have some because besides the weather to celebrate. robert: against the bears on the road. chemical a run game from santa claus? the redskins run game has disappeared but the capitals are on the right track. sports is next.

>> and now the toyota sports desk bought to you by your local toyota dealers. we will start with the team not struggling and that is the caps. they had the third best record in the league for a little bit. they lead the metro division so they are on fire.

they won seven of their last eight. the lease the league in goals, allowing 1.95 per game. the last matchup was in florida in they won 2-1 in overtime. let's take a moment to look back and think about the identity the redskins wanted to create. the run game. matt jones, chris thompson, sort of a three headed monster. that is not happening at the moment. they have not had any running backs hit 100 yards since week 2 when matt jones what for wanted to 23 yards on 19 carries. they beat the rams 24-10. they say it doesn't matter, just when -- win. >> if we have to pass 50 times two win the game, i'm for it. i want to do whatever it takes to win. i am not in a pride contest.

i don't care with what we have to do to win. i just want to win. robert: nats traded infielder escobar to the angels for a right-handed reliever trevor scott. he hit .314 with nine home runs. a final note. all-star voting is underway for the nba. if you went to see john wall's back in toronto, go ahead and put in your vote. he started for the ease last year. 26 per game. maureen: looks like we are on the verge of a green christmas. steve: it will be fantastic tomorrow and even better on saturday and sunday. temperatures in the mid to upper, 60's maybe close to 70 degrees. your rubbing your hands like it is cold out. showers on monday as part of a cold front.

it still stays mild for this time of year. leon: that works for us.

breaking news. we're on the scene tonight. divers in a lake after the terror in california. the fbi searching the lake for possible clues and tonight, investigators on what brought them there. also breaking, the city now on alert this ooechk after a u.s. warning. authorities now trying to prevent a specific terror event, telling american citizens there to be on the lookout. the runaway commuter train. passengers trapped inside with no conductor. pounding on the door for help. two major storm systems we're watching tonight. the state of emergency. drivers trapped there on a highway. and the reported tornado. >> wow! >> storms turning deadly already. and the scandal at the citadel. under fire after this image of cadets singing christmas carols. the outrage tonight.