coldest air of our season. >> that's right. you have to go all the way back to last january, early part of january, to find ahat's been as cold for us. yeah it's been unseasonably cold and this is day three of it. we're almost out of it though. take a look. we're at 23 degrees. the wind chill, 13. by almost out of it i mean folks, we've got another cold night to get through. 23 now. look at the temperatures across some other locations. neighborhoods up around gaithersburg around leesburg around manassas and fairfax and falls church at 21 degrees. but factor in the wind and we're already in the single digits in a couple neighborhoods from montgomery county up through areas of frederick county in maryland. low temperatures tonight dropping down to around 14 to 21 degrees across the area. but factor in the winds, which are going to be picking up as another little weak system steps into the area. we're talking about another extreme night for us. gusty, harsh start for tomorrow. but a pattern change and it's

one i think you're going to like at least we'll be above the freezing mark. any time of course, you're away from your tv you can always get our app cast that's he was giving you a forecast and taking you hour by hour. download at itunes or google play. the bitter cold made for a miserable ride for some on metro. they had to contend with cracked rails today. commuters took to social media, tweeting out pictures from maryland to d.c. and virginia all showing the platforms packed. others posting about extremely long wait lines between the trains and since it is still cold we are tracking the impact to metro right now for this evening commute. transportation reporter adam tuss live now at the east falls church station. how is it looking? >> reporter: so far, so good tonight, wendy, the broken rail and cracked rail from earlier today has been fixed. but it's still bitterly cold out here tonight. that's what riders are dealing with. but, yeah this morning you might say that mother nature got the best of metro. chopper 4 above the grovener

metro station the red line is frigid. a lot of riders waiting in the cold for a long time. the freezing temperatures causing some older trains to break down. the cold also completely snapped a rail near the east falls church station the orange and silver lines. top it off with a cracked rail on the green and yellow lines at the prince george's plaza station, and the frustration palpable. >> every minute we're only one stop away. we waited about 30 minutes. to get right here. >> reporter: pictures from up and down the metro system on twitter showed the crowds the delays and the tough trip. here at metro headquarters here today, plenty of explaining. >> metal, heat and cold expand and contract. it seemed not so long ago we had temperatures in the mid 60s but that was only sunday. last night, temperatures in the single digits. that kind of a temperature swing is when you start seeing rails crack or break. >> reporter: this is an issue in other systems. just yesterday, boston's rail system warning about the

potential for cracked rails, and new york city a broken rail that caused the derailment was cracked for over a year. still, some riders like audrey say they want metro to do better and be better prepared. >> i take buses too, so last night i waited over an hour for a bus at 11:00 at night in the cold. >> reporter: and back here now live when metro has a day like this with such long delays should you get a refund? coming up at 6:00 we get an answer from the transit agency. reporting live at the east falls church station, adam tuss, news4. >> thank you, adam. for the second time this week the fairfax county school system is under fire for its decision about closing schools or keeping them open. let's go to news4's kristin wright in fairfax with more on the schools there. kristin? >> reporter: jim, greenbrier elementary here is one of the many that was closed eventually today in fairfax county. we went out to talk to parents about what they think about the way this week has gone in terms

of the brutal weather this week. we talke parent strong words from her to fairfax county schools, under fire for how it handled this week of winter weather. today the school system at first called for a delay, but then administrators changed their mind this morning and cancelled school. the backlash started tuesday. conditions outside, as you remember, were treacherous. fairfax schools stayed open that day, and after today's decision, there are some questions, among some. the superintendent talked. take a listen. >> we had quite a number of bus drivers unable to report to work due to a variety of different circumstances. and we had quite a number of buses that would not start. we were very concerned that that might cause some delayed bus pickups for students and just because of the frigid cold temperatures we decided to close school for today. >> reporter: it's 4 degrees outside. 4 degrees.

so you know i'm glad the school system finally came to its senses and said you know what, it's too cold to have children waiting for the bus. the school system says this is all about safety first. and we just learned in the past few minutes there will be a two-hour delay in the fairfax county school district tomorrow. live in fairfax, kristin wright news4. >> kristin, thanks. among those with the coldest commutes the slug line users in northern virginia. we found people bundled up in layer upon layer as they waited for a ride at the pickup here. still some told our crews, they would wait in the frigid temps to avoid having to drive in to work. we showed you the aftermath yesterday. now you're seeing the moment that a dump truck rammed into two parked police cruisers. police say the driver did it on purpose. and as prince george's county bureau reporter darcy spencer reports, his mental state may have played a role. >> reporter: this surveillance video shows a dump truck driver

ramming two prince george's police cruisers in a shopping center parking lot. before it happened he had an exchange with those two off-duty officers. >> he keeps making reference to his brother was shot in d.c. and he somehow fix ates on our officers. all of this didn't happen. but in his mind, it did. >> reporter: and those officers asked him to leave. >> they asked him to move his truck along because the traffic built up behind him and said have a nice day, sir. at which point he says we're about to have a nice day. >> reporter: at which point he allegedly circled back around and slammed into the cruisers in the parking lot. those officers had to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit. >> it's by god's grace that these two officers weren't killed. >> reporter: this is police video of the man who was behind the wheel of the dump truck, identified as gene brandon. he's 31 years old and lives in the akwosco area of the county. he has a history of traffic

citations. detectives say his mental state played a role in this crime. >> this individual has a history of mental illness. he was not on miss medication. >> reporter: the chief says the crime does not appear to be connected to any other incidents including the fatal shootings of two officers in new york and a shooting yesterday in southeast d.c. >> it's a mental health issue that by the grace of god we didn't lose two officers during this episode. >> reporter: now, if you want to see that entire surveillance video, you can check it out at our website, nbcwashington.com. coming up on news4 at 6:00 we talk about how these two officers were able to resolve this whole thing peacefully without anyone getting hurt. reporting live from palmer park darcy spencer, news4. we're getting new reaction tonight from nfl commissioner roger goodell, to an investigation that found the league never saw that elevator video of ray rice punching his fiancee before it hit a website. the outside investigation found no evidence anyone at the nfl

had received or seen that elevator surveillance video before it was relieved by tmz. news4 has chosen not to show the footage any longer. the report did find the league should have taken additional steps to obtain all available information about the incident back in february. commissioner goodell releasing a statement today, just a short time ago, saying in part we have all learned a great deal in the past months and expect to be judged by how we lead going forward on issues of domestic violence and sexual assault. now at 5:00 two parents charged with not reporting a fire that started in their baby's crib while their baby was sleeping. how they say that fire actually started. a local man mauled and killed by his adopted pitbull. new tonight, the frantic effort to save the man's life. in the freezing temperatures for four hours, they marched in front of fairfax county police headquarters. i'm david culver.

coming up i'll explain what they want from officers here in northern virginia. it's our news4 flash survey of the day. do you think it's too cold for kids to go to school? call or text that number on your screen or go to facebook or twitter to vote and we're going to share the results with you in a bit. huh, fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. everybody knows that. well, did you know you that former pro football player ickey woods will celebrate almost anything? unh-uh. number 44... whoooo! forty-four, that's me! get some cold cuts... get some cold cuts... get some cold cuts! whooo! gimme some! geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. whoo! forty-four ladies, that's me! whoo...gonna get some cold cuts today!

tonight, the trial date is set in the murder of a woman with the d.c. corrections department. dewitt seum is accused of

killing carolyn cross in september. prosecutors say he was mad at the world when he happened to just run into cross when she was in the laundry room. police do not believe the murder had anything to do with cross' job. the trial is set for april. a controversial police shooting brought demonstrators to police headquarters in fairfax county. for four hours, they walked and chanted in this bitter cold protesting the police chief and demanding answers in the shooting death of john gear. our northern virginia bureau reporter david culver is in fairfax with that story. >> hands up! >> still shot! >> hands up. >> reporter: they didn't know the man whose name they carry on their signs. john gear. but it's how he died that brings them out here. >> shot and killed with his hands up unarmed! >> reporter: august 2013 you can see in this exclusive video police responding to 46-year-old john gear's springfield home. called there for a domestic incident. the mother of gear's two kids

warned there were weapons in the home. for 50 minutes, police negotiated then a single shot by officer adam torres. gear unarmed at the time bled to death. but for 16 months police refused to give details. it wasn't until earlier this week we learned the shooting officer's name and that only came after gear's family filed suit and a judge demanded fairfax county police turn over information. >> why did it take over a year for information to come out about this are they trying to hide something, i don't know. i wasn't there. but that's definitely very weird. >> reporter: emily drove in from montgomery county so passionate she took the day off work unpaid. >> i don't want to be scared to call then danger i should be able to call the police and not be scared it's going to end up that i'm the one being hurt when i need help you know. >> i think race has a little bit to it depending on the area. but definitely a human thing. >> we are out here today to demand justice, to demand more transparency and information. >> reporter: nathan cox helped

organize the protest. >> it's a joke of an investigation. very few questions answered. >> reporter: protests like the one we saw here today not very common in fairfax county so we wondered what some of those passing by thought of it. i'll share their perspective when i join you again all new at 6:00. in fairfax, i'm david culver news 4. >> david reached out to police for comment, they referred him to the county, but the county had nothing more to add. details on a fire in fairfax county. let's go back to chris lawrence at the live desk. >> we're getting new information now. this is in the alexandria section of fairfax county. let's take you out live for a live look from chopper 4. we have now learned that the one man who was inside that main townhouse there, he suffered second degree burns, and he's now being medevaced to an area burn unit. firefighters had 75 firefighters on the scene, one of them also suffered some minor injuries. in fact with all the assets they brought in to control this fire it turned into basically what would be a three-alarm fire. one townhome completely destroyed, the damage spread to

two other townhomes. they are not having any major problems with freezing hydrants but the firefighters say all that water that is being used on that fire is causing some icing issues in the surrounding streets. so tpw is being brought in to try to salt down some of the streets, so that has now become a big problem as well. but again, one firefighter with slight injuries. another man was in that townhouse with second degree burns. at the live desk i'm chris lawrence. now to a great program in maryland for schools there. a technology giant is now teaming up with the public school system. today, microsoft give all students and teachers free access to office 365. they can use it at school or at now, the announcement was made at high point high school here in prince george's county. that school has seen a big jump in math and science scores. microsoft is also helping to launch 25 new i.t. academy programs for schools across the state of maryland. the goal is to get students ready for tech jobs when they

graduate. >> technology is just a basic skill. like reading and writing used to be. technology is now a basic skill. so it will open up all kinds of opportunities to have this kind of access and experience throughout their k-12 experience. >> maryland education leaders say they want to make sure a family's income doesn't keep a child from getting ahead. according to the department of labor, in ten years more than 75% of jobs will require technology skills. battling flames in subzero temperatures sent two firefighters in southern virginia to the hospital. they were trying to put out a fire in portsmouth this morning. but the arctic weather caused the water to freeze. one firefighter slipped and fell on the ice. the firefighters also said their coats had frozen to their bodies. well we've got an amazing story coming up in just a few minutes. we're going to show you some video. a van hits a truck, and drags a person for several miles.

>> in their car. it was a whole family in this car, and they had to call 911 to say we're attached to a truck that doesn't know we're attached to it. so that story is coming up in just a minute. >> but -- >> we're going to listen to that 911 call. very cool. kind of fascinating. >> kind of fascinating this morning, whereall the strange sounds our vehicles were making to deal with the cold. it's like what? yeah but we just have to get to the other side of tomorrow morning and then you're going to notice a difference improvements in our favor, not huge but, you know with air this cold we'll take anything you can get. evening planner forecast 23 degrees now. not a big drop in temperatures but we ease down to 20 degrees, and yes, that is a flurry chance we're talking about late around 11:00 p.m. to midnight. just some flurries not any big accumulating snow. let's show what's going on here. satellite and radar. you can see we've got cloud cover across the area. right now clouds moving in and it's to our north and west that we're tracking this little system that will mainly move to

the north of our area. and as it does so it will put down just a few little snow flurries early part of the day tomorrow. i can show you that on future weather. here it is. cold conditions for your afternoon, yes, and into the evening. there are the clouds coming in. and as i step to the side there are the flurries for early on between midnight and 5:00 6:00 7:00 a.m. tomorrow morning, around hagerstown leonardtown, leesburg, because the winds start to pick up again. they have settled down this evening to 5 to 10. but a southerly wind overnight that will allow our temperatures to also hold pretty steady. and tomorrow that southerly wind takes us into the upper 30s with some sunshine still no wind but feels, i think, better by the afternoon. you're going to notice it. 26 early on at 7:00 a.m. we hit the freezing mark now tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. again, cold and gusty for the morning, so for sure you'll want to bundle up. look at the highs for tomorrow. while we get into the mid and upper 30s around here it's 32 frederick, 31 hagerstown 31

around martinsburg. and those wind chill readings for tomorrow as we talked about yesterday, this morning they dropped down below zero. a little better tomorrow morning. 10 to 15. 15 to 20 by lunch time. and 25 to 30 what it will feel like by 4:00 tomorrow. as cold as it is here it's pretty mild out on the west coast. they're just waiting for the cold to move in. and that's where we find meteorologist doug kammerer all the way on the west coast. >> good afternoon, veronica. here at lake tahoe for a weather conference as a matter of fact. it's actually called operation sierra storm in south lake tahoe. you're right. they are asking for the snow. they need the snow they also need the colder temperatures. they have not seen that much in the way of colder temperatures here. temperatures today around 50 degrees. and that's even at about 7, 8, 10,000 feet. took a couple runs earlier, the snow very, very soft. but this is a conference that's been here the last couple years. meteorologists from all over the

country gather together here to learn much more about the weather, of course and obviously climate change too. that's a big topic today. earlier we heard from one person who actually was a first lady ever the first woman ever to go to all three poles. what i mean by that is the north pole the south pole and the cold pole in the middle of siberia. the first woman ever. that was a fascinating talk. we talked about climate change as well as far as what our region may experience the next decade decade. and so a lot of great stuff happening here at great tahoe. obviousl do some skiing. with views like, this i like these weather conferences. >> that looks sweet. but the big advantage, you get to bring that knowledge back here and take it down to what it means for us. and as we take a look at our four-day forecast big thing going on this weekend. health and fitness expo at the convention center. 26 on saturday. 39 degrees the high temperature on sunday. like that it's going to be a dry weekend, and that is the improvement that we're going to see this upcoming weekend.

39 close to 40 degrees. we'll hang on to the upper 30s as we hit monday. it is right now a 40% chance of not just rain but we could be starting out with a little bit of freezing rain. something that of course storm team 4 will be keeping their eye on. it's mainly rain. and it's not a big storm system at all. then as we get into the first part of next week again, high temperatures with that pattern change mid to upper 30s. we'll be taking a look at any system that of course comes this way very closely. >> thanks vj. now to that terrifying ride for a family driving home from vacation. of with heavy snow and poor visibility they accidentally rear-ended a tractor-trailer. and their van, it got wedged underneath. that truck with the driver apparently unaware dragged them get this 16 miles down an interstate in northern michigan. >> he's not stopping and our car is embedded underneath of it. >> i was on the phone with 911 for -- the whole time.

>> we're going to -- we have no choice. >> okay. >> the third seat. forward into her seat. >> just helpless. what do you do? honk the corn? >> he couldn't hear them apparently. >> after half an hour police did manage to stop that truck with the van still in tow. and get this no one was seriously injured. and we're following that developing story on the manhunt for two killers after that terror attack in paris. now we have learned that new security changes have been made here in washington. plus a judge makes a new decision in the case against the man accused in the rape and abduction of a uva student. >> reporter: i'm tom sherwood in northeast washington. the d.c. street car system here on h street is supposed to start operating later this month. but how safe is it? there have been a few accidents in the test runs. i'll have the story, coming up.

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paris' iconic eiffel tower went dark this evening to honor the 12 people killed in that terrorist attack on "charlie hebdo." today was a national day of morning and along with the tribute, also rallies. thousands of people filled the streets, many holding pens and signs that said "liberty and free expression."

and tonight, nbc news has confirmed the french government has now asked for extra security at its embassy here in washington. >> the secret service has stepped up patrols, and in france a massive manhunt continues for those two brothers suspected in this massacre. armored cars and scores of police officers have descended on to the quiet towns in hopes of capturing cherif and said kouachi. the brothers were known to french intelligence officials and are described to have possible ties to a yemeni terrorist network. there will not be cameras in the courtroom when jesse matthew goes on trial in fairfax county. >> today a judge rejected a request from news organizations to allow them. matthew faces trial here for attempted murder back in 2005. a sexual assault. he's also charged in charlottesville in the abduction of uva student, hannah graham. coming up tonight on news4 at 6:00 julie carey explains why the judge ruled the way he did. it's been rough for just

about anyone out in this cold. >> and right now at 5:00 a winter weather rescue. one dog ending up in a life-threatening situation, just taking a daily walk. plus raising the speed for reckless driving. why some are calling this move simply common sense. >> reporter: after being killed pitbull, animal control experts are saying this isn't as

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right now at 5:30 seize not a victim she's a fighter. a woman is violently attacked at

work. >> i wish i was there. i wish i could have helped her. >> why she says this could have happened to anyone. d.c. street car fender-ben are adding up. so we went to get answers today about whether it's really safe. and the real estate market in our area is booming. we're going to tell you where one home sold for $20 million. first at 5:30 a pitbull attacks and kills its owner while the 87-year-old man was taking down his christmas tree. >> tonight, news4's mark segraves shows us the family's desperate attempts to pull the dog away and how they failed. >> the pitbull was a family dog. they had rescued it back in may. >> reporter: 87-year-old eugene smith lived in this home here in frederick with his son and his son's fiancee, along with hair 84-pound pitbull. wednesday afternoon, smith was lying on the floor, taking down his christmas tree when the dog attacked. smith's soon to be daughter-in-law saw it happen

but was unable to help. >> when deputies and officers arrived, they observed the dog attack. they were able to contain the dog immediately. >> reporter: but it was too late. smith received extensive wounds to his head and arms and died at the hospital. animal control experts say pitbulls like the dogs here at this shelter, are not born mean. >> they are not inherently bad dogs. this is not a pitbull issue. it's really a dog owner issue. dog owners need to be committed to their pet for their entire life. >> reporter: experts say too often people adopt a dog and then neglect or abuse it and eventually abandon them which oftentimes leaves dogs with antisocial behaviors. they want to remind everyone who owns or is considering adopting a pet to remember that it's a life-long commitment. >> and it is not a breed issue. this is not about pitbulls. this is about dog ownership, it's about a tragedy, and we extend our condolences to the family. but it is not the breed. it's just a specific incident that happened. >> reporter: in this case the

dog who attacked smith had to be euthanized. coming up at 6:00 what you need to know before adopting any dog to protect yourself and your family. in frederick, mark segraves news4. as the sun sets and the temperatures begin to tumble we want to let you know that prince william county schools announced they're starting two hours late. veronica is back to explain why tonight is going to be very different from last night. >> yeah it's going to be cold again. and yes, it's going to be uncomfortable. but our temperatures will start rising slightly after midnight. however, the winds will start to pick up too. so that makes it a little different. we're going to have a southerly wind that will allow our temperatures to go up. 23 degrees now, your wind chill 13. take a look at the bus stop forecast for tomorrow morning. with that gusty wind wind chills in the teens at the bus stop early part of the day. so again, it's a bundle up kind of day. however, we get on the other side of the freezing mark tomorrow afternoon. we start out again with actual temperatures in the teens to low 20s across the area. but those wind chills in the

single digits will have feels-like factor. again, these are the wind chill ratings early in the day. into the teens by midday. low 20s, too. so feeling better this time tomorrow afternoon as we hit a high of 37 around 2:00 3:00 p.m. sunny, yes, and cold. but then again, this weekend we get close to 40 degrees. we'll talk more about that coming up in a few. you may have to go faster in the old dominion to be arrested for reckless driving. the virginia state length tour is considering a bill that would raise the speed limit. our scott macfarlane learned the speed could be raised from 80 miles per hour to 85. state delegate jeff campbell is pushing for the change. he says it's common sense the current 80-mile-an-hour threshold treats too many drivers like criminals. new street cars in the district are already getting into fender benders, and they aren't even open for business yet. this street car crash last night is one of nine since test runs started last october.

news4's tom sherwood explains who is at fault now. >> reporter: the street cars make a lot of noise at intersections. crosswalks beep for pedestrians. and signs everywhere warn people to watch out for the new street cars. but cars still do pull out in front of the street cars and officials say there have been nine fender-bender style crashes since testing began last october. >> there have been no injuries and is we have not been cited for any of them. it's a learning curve for everybody. and i think people are getting it. people are very excited about it. >> reporter: in the latest incident last night, officials say a street car rear-ended a motorist in the travel lane. >> the car just moved in front of the street car really quickly. and then stopped. and so that then created a collision from behind. we've had a couple of those kinds of situations. >> reporter: police say no one was charged in that incident. in another recent incident a car was broadsided by the street car after the car passed in front of it. that driver was cited.

people who live and work in the area have mixed reactions about the street car impact. >> i usually take the train. i mean the bus down minnesota avenue. but if the street car will get me there, then i'll take that. >> the fact that it is on the side of the street and not in the middle is going to lead to numerous problems for accidents, parking. >> reporter: in the district tom sherwood, news4. >> the street car system is set to begin carrying passengers on january 19th. however, city officials tell news4, that is not a firm date. coming up tonight on news4 at 6:00 tom reports on the uncertain future for the whole street car system. $20 million. that's our area's most expensive home sold in 2014 according to multiple listings. and this is it. 15 dupont circle also known as the patterson mansion. you may have seen it if you have driven through embassy row.

it was once home to president coolidge. it boasts more than 36,000 square feet including a ballroom as you must have. and according to zil low, it has 16 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms. right now, we're waiting for word on d.c.'s olympic hopes. stay with us to find out which u.s. city will get to bid for the 2024 games. fire in a crib. a child in protective custody. why the parents say it's all because their house is haunted. and don't give up yet. the top four ways to keep your new year's resolution and a good place to start, the nbc 4 health and fitness expo. we'll explain.

♪ welcome back. i'm dianna russini. we are anxiously waiting any minute to find out if d.c. will be the u.s. candidate to host the 2024 olympic games. d.c. has put tons of effort in trying to earn the bid, battling boston san francisco and los angeles. a formal announcement will be made at a friday morning . finalists won'ting announced until spring 2016. the final pick for the city to host the 2024 olympics will be made in september of 2017.

>> and while a hometown summer olympics may sound like a good time the vegas odds may be stacked against us. sports betting site bavada is out with its odds and puts los angeles with the best odds at 1-1. >> boston comes in second at 2-1. san francisco comes in third. and the district rounds out with 7-1 odds. the last time the united states hosted the summer games was atlanta of 1996. well pay up or lose your power. >> it's a serious threat. but it's not real. we'll tell you more about the scam that is getting even more people to pay up in our region at this time of year. >> a father is charged after the mattress in his baby's crib is set on fire. we'll explain why this isn't the first fire connected to this couple and police are concerned.

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tonight, a couple is facing charges, and their baby is in protective services after a bizarre series of fires inside their apartment. news4's pat collins is live in alexandria with the story you're only going to see here on news4. pat? >> reporter: wendy, a 2-month-old baby is asleep in his crib. someone sets fire to the little boy's mattress. the father says he thinks it was a ghost. 40-year-old marood and his wife have five fires inside their apartment at the fox chase complex in alexandria. according to court documents obtained by news4 one of the five fires involved the intentional ignition of an infant baby's crib mattress and

that the infant was asleep in that crib at the time of the fire. according to court documents, he told investigators he believes ghosts were starting the fires. and that he believes his apartment here is haunted. it's unclear as to who actually set the fires. or who put out the fires. according to the court documents, he and his wife never called 911 for help. instead, later on, they asked the management company to investigate. the management company called the fire marshal, and when the fire marshal got here that's when he told the ghost story. according to court documents, the fire marshal seized two lighters. he told investigators no one smokes inside that apartment. officials say the baby is okay. they say he's under the care of

child protective services. his parents, they say, are out, pending further court action in the case. live in alexandria pat collins, news4. >> pat, thank you. pay up or lose power. that's the message tonight some scammers are trying to trick you into believing. and this cold weather, and no one wants to go without heat. consumer reporter erika gonzales has a warning tonight about scam phone calls going around these days. >> scammers are calling, pretending to be the pow company, threatening to cut off your heat. but you can avoid that if you just pay up. no. folks, you have been washedrned please do not fall for this. the fairfax county police department has already had a number of complaints. the scam artists yell they threaten people claiming they're with dominion virginia and will shut off service if hundreds of dollars are not paid by way of a green dot money card or money pack. and the last thing you can afford to go without these days is heat. and crooks know that.

dominion virginia says it will never threaten immediate payment over the phone, and it will provide you with several notifications before it ever cuts off your power. also if the person on the other line is asking for money by way of a rechargeable card like that green dot card they mentioned, that should signal this is a scam. >> erika, thanks. extremely cold temperatures caused a bridge to freeze over and get stuck in virginia today. check out the traffic this morning over the james river. that's near newport news. v dot tells us the bridge wouldn't close properly and that in turn shut down traffic for miles in both directions. crews say they greased the bridge every week but admit they can't do much when the temperatures dip like that. >> and we are starting to get a list of school delays in virginia for friday. all fauquier county public schools will be opening one hour late tomorrow. >> and now the time to keep up with those closings on the new

nbc washington app. veronica has got a look at conditions right now. vj? >> that's right. it's after tomorrow morning. after tomorrow morning, our cold will become less extreme across the area. so we just have to hang on a while longer. let's talk about your evening. already, we're seeing temperatures drop into the 20s across the area. 7:00 p.m., 21. at 9:00 also at 21 degrees. and holding steady. the reason for that is a southerly wind and a whole system making its way toward our area as you'll see in a moment. clouds will start increasing but a cold wind tonight, especially with winds picking up. storm team 4 radar scans the area and you can see we are dry. but as we open up and head to the west look at this. the system here is producing a good bit of snow right now around chicago, just north of cincinnati. and that system is going to pretty much zip to the east staying north of our area. but it will be providing a little bit of snow in the higher spots of west virginia. and we could see some flurries here as those winds will be picking up.

all right. by noon tomorrow 15 to 20 degrees, the wind chill value. but again, by afternoon, 25 to 30 is what it will feel like as our actual high temperature for the afternoon. goes up to around 37 to 38 degrees. it's been a while since we have been -- i don't want to say warm but since temperatures have been that high. so feeling a little better. breezy during your afternoon, and winds really will start to settle down by friday night. and also on saturday. so weekend outlook, if you're going to be running any errands, we're dry for both days. green light for that. and for doing anything around your house, winterizing, well sunday is the warmer day. but it's a green light for that too. again, dry weekend. and for the health and fitness expo too, we want to see you down there. storm team 4 will be on hand answering your questions on stage. so make sure you come out, saturday and sunday. here's a look at the cold air, retreating to the north. can show you that with our pattern change. on monday we'll have highs in the mid and upper 30s, but

tracking these systems that will be coming out of the gulf of mexico. doesn't look like a major storm, but could have a chance for some brief freezing rain on monday. 40% chance right now with a high temperature of 37 degrees. right now, we're dry for tuesday and wednesday. but again, something that we really have to follow very closely, because that could change. some rain showers and maybe a little freezing rain too for thursday of next week. but good weather for this weekend. guys back to you. >> all right. if you've been to the gym over the last few days have probably seen a lot of crowds there. >> yeah, more than usual. that's because many of us set those new year's resolutions to get fit and healthy in 2015. doreen gentzler has advice on how to keep the new year's resolutions strong over the next 12 months. >> like i'm an expert on keeping new year's resolutions. but every new year is a fresh start for all of us right? this weekend is the nbc 4 health and fitness expo. it's our annual event, where you can only get free medical screenings but also learn about

staying healthy and fit for the new year. tonight we get a sneak preview. here are four tips to help you keep your 2015 fitness resolutions. 28-year-old chelsea campbell is back at the gym today, something she hopes will continue over the next year. >> you have to set goals, and hold yourself more accountable. >> reporter: it's all part of her new year's resolution. >> this year i've set a few, but overall, it's usually just to be healthy. >> reporter: while we all have good intentions studies show that only 8% of people who make resolutions are successful. 8%. especially when it comes to fitness. but experts say, don't get discouraged. following some simple steps could help you accomplish your goals this year. this is a personal training manager at vita fitness. >> people get excited for something new, for change. so even just the changing of the year will sort of reenergize people. >> reporter: she says number

one, people should plan and prepare for their fitness goals. that means sign up for classes ahead of time so you're committed. plan your meals for the week. especially if you know you have events after work. >> if you're planning and you're prepared for work, you're bound to be successful. so if you plan and prepare for fitness and nutrition, you're definitely going to see the same success in your overall health. >> reporter: number two, keep track. that means monitoring your diet and workouts. >> if you keep track of the days that you're doing really well with nutrition and fitness, you're more likely to sort of repeat good behavior and you're going to avoid the bad foods and the things that make you feel not so good. >> reporter: three, stand up straight and hydrate. she says having good posture and drinking plenty of water keeps people energized, so they're more motivated to get to the gym after work. hydrating also helps people avoid overeating. and number four lift heavyweights. no matter if you're a man or a

woman. >> some of it is just self-confidence and accomplishment. some of that is building muscle and muscle tone and losing weight a little bit faster. >> reporter: chelsea campbell says she plans to include weights and other exercises like these trx bands, in her fitness plan this year. that's because her main resolution is -- >> doing a tough mudder. one of those relay races where it's not only about running, but doing a lot of exercises. >> you can learn more about healthy eating and fitness at the expo. there will be free exercise classes all weekend long. something for everybody. yoga pilates, zumba, martial arts. your kids can get exercise too. it all starts saturday at 9:00 a.m. at the washington convention center and admission is free. stand up straight, better posture, drink more water. we can work on those things right, wendy and jim? that's the easy part. >> thanks doreen. we'll see you there. well she wants us to hear her story. a woman is beaten and raped at work but what she wants

everyone to know. that's next. new at 6:00 tonight, freight trains hauling dangerous cargo through our city. we told you about this story yesterday. tonight, the changes d.c. leaders are pushing in the wake of our i-team investigation.

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the government is sending a strong message tonight about automakers. come clean about safety problems or pay up. the national highway safety and traffic administration is fining

honda a record $170 million because it says honda failed to report more than 1,700 death and injury claims between 2003 and 2014. this is the largest auto safety fine in u.s. history, and honda has agreed to pay. under federal rule an automaker has five days from learning of a safety defect to report it to the government. and a gold en retriever is back on dry land and looks happy after he fell through the ice. this is 2-year-old sachel. his owner says she was walking with him in the boston area when he took off and ran on to the ice and fell through. the fire department was just a block away luckily, and they -- look. aww! he managed to get to him quickly. >> sled right out to him, reached down picked him up and he was dying to get out of the water. >> they were all amazing. and it was just a very happy moment. >> that's a cool thing they have to get people off the ice or through the ice. sachel's owner brought him by the firehouse yesterday to thank the rescue crews.

he's a happy dog. >> yeah he is. well she says she is a fighter, not a victim. tonight the story of a woman attacked at her workplace, and sexually assaulted. >> that woman is recovering at home now, and she is sharing her story with reporter candace nguyen in hopes of helping others. >> reporter: if there is one word to describe mill an leon it's fighter. >> she doesn't want to feel like she's a victim. she wants to feel like she conquered this. >> reporter: at 5'4" weighing only 110 pounds she told me over the phone she fought her attacker jason stay, tooth and nail. of the incident happened sunday night when sheriffs officials say stay left in the middle of his shift, across the street to where she was working. it was a nightmare watching surveillance video of stay punching his employee 15 times, even punching the dog when it got between them. >> as a man, it's -- you know you feel helpless that you --

like i wish i was there. i wish i could have helped her. i wish -- if i would have just gotten my hands on the guy or protected her in some way. >> reporter: leon doesn't know the suspect. she says they only met once when he bought something from the store. she believes he could have attacked anyone which is why she wants to share her story when she is better. >> so you sit there and commend her, like for all women. she is speaking out and she is trying to make a difference. she apologized to me that that happened. i mean for god sake the girl you know -- this happening to her and she is going to apologize to me. how, like unselfish can you be to sit here and, you know apologize to me after what happened to her. >> reporter: he says leon has a heart of gold but is also tough as nails. as for stay -- >> after what he did, after doing that to someone innocent you know we don't need people like that in this world. we don't. >> the suspect in this case is now dead.

police say he tried to take his open life while in custody, and died later at the hospital. >> a friend of the victim in this case set up a go fund me page in her name that's already raised a couple thousand dollars. now at 6:00 police officers targeted their cruisers crushed and dragged for several feet. how officers from able to come to a peaceful end to this dramatic scene. >> protesters are demanding justice after a police-involved shooting. how a mother is using it as a learning lesson. lawyers prepare for a high-profile rape case. how both sides say the technology would put their case in jeopardy. first tonight, really cold out there. we've got some news about school delays for tomorrow. >> fairfax, prince william and loudoun county schools have all announced a two-hour delay for friday. fauquier county schools will be on a one-hour delay. veronica johnson is in storm

center four4 with the latest. >> more cold air tonight, and on top of that more wind which is really going to be taking down the wind chill temperatures. but it is on the other side of midnight too where we could see a few flurries coming through in our northwest communities. let's take a look and see where the temperature is right now. the high today, 24. we're at 23 currently, reagan national airport, with a wind chill reading of 12 degrees. and there's just a few clouds out there right now. but those clouds will be on the increase with a little weak system coming into our area. wind chill temperatures already in the teens to the north in most areas. 23 what it feels like in d.c. right now. but we are going to see these numbers drop tomorrow morning into the single digits as it does get cold yes. but then we're going to start rising and it's