vanessa dixon was standing at bus stop in silver spring yesterday when an suv ran into her. police are investigating this as an alcohol-related crash. and today we're learning more about the victim. she was a mother of five. she comes from a large tight-knit family. her niece is one of several people who are speaking about her tragic death. >> this is hard for us. it's my aunt. and she just wanted to go to work so she could take care of her kids nap's it. >> coming up on news 4 at 5:00 her sister's thoughts on the man who hit her. >>> video could help determine exactly what happened to a woman who died in fairfax after sheriff's deputies used a taser on her while snefs restraints. authorities are still investigating natasha mckenna's death at the fairfax county detention stwoernt weeks ago. they say any video and data will be handed over the determine if criminal charges should be filed. new details that came out today reveal that mckenna was in a mesh spit hood and restraints when deputies used that taser. she was many the process of being referred to alexandria for alleged

vanessa dixon is her name. she was on her way to a job interview when she was hit by an suv.ight, kristin wright explain why is the woman's child said she feels sorry for the driver. >> for me to walk this walk with my family it is a total loss. we don't know how to cope with it. >> reporter: vanessa dixon leaves behind a large, close-knit jamaican family. >> people in jamaica is mourning mourning! >> we have never encountered such tragedy. >> reporter: dixon had five children. samantha was her youngest. >> i'm not angry at him. i'm sad, but i'm not angry. >> reporter: the man driving the red suv police say hit dixon has not been charged. the investigation is just beginning. dixon was walking on cresthaven drive in silver spring wednesday morning. after hitting her and two cars, the driver was given a breathalyzer. police are not releasing his blood-alcohol level, but they tell us they believe alcohol was involved. dixon's daughter feels empathy for him. >> he just took a life so it doesn't make sense to add more hardship on that. he's going to understand what he did. >> repo

the police say that 49-year-old vanessa dixon was waiting near a bus stop at the time. less than an hour ago, roz plater spoke with her family and she is live in silver spring. >> allison, she has a large very close knit family that was here until a few minutes ago. they are having trouble understanding how this could have happened. they came to the bus stop tonight, where she spent the last few minutes before her life was cut short. vanessa dixon's family put up a makeshift memorial at the site where her body landed and they are heartbroken. >> vanessa was a loving and caring person. she would cook and feed everybody was hungry. she would give and give and give. >> she came to the hospital where i work. i did not even know she was there. >> her family said she was a certified nursing assistant. she was looking for a job caring for an elderly woman. just before 11:00 wednesday morning, the driver of an suv was driving erratically striking dixon, who was standing at the bus stop, dragging her body down the street. witnesses say he continued careening out of control strik

police say a red suv hit a woman named vanessa dixon and she was standing near a bus stop in silver spring. she was 49 years old. police identified the driver as david rodriguez. they say he also hit two other cars. they locked him up now on a suspicion of drunk driving. >>> a guilty plea in the murder of a harvard university student. omar was killed in 2013 during a botched burglary. la guard and an accomplice forced him to the ground and the accomplice has never been found. facing 20 to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in may. >>> gas prices are already on the rise everywhere but they did spike in california after an explosion there destroyed part of a refinery just outside los angeles. many in the town of torrance california thought it was an earthquake when that blast ripped apart buildings at the exxonmobil plant there. flames were shooting from a stack afterwards. they still don't know what caused the explosion but it happened in a relatively new part of that plant. four people suffered minor injuries. >>> now to a hospital scare that could have exposed nearly 200 people to a

vanessa dixon, a 49-year-old mother of 5 was killed by a suspected drunk driver yesterday on creashaven -- cresthaven road a. car crossed into oncoming traffic and hit the nurse as she was waiting for a bus stop. 22-year-old david rodriguez was arrested under the suspicion of alcohol. >>> a summit aimed at countering violent extremists continued at the white house this morning. meanwhile there was yet another reminder last night of the brutality connected to the terror group isis. friend, family, even strangers gathered in an arizona courthouse to honor cale la mueller. -- kayla mueller. the 26-year-old aide worker was killed while being held hostage by isis. her brother became very emotional when he told the audience that kayla always has been his best friend. she's the fourth american to be killed by isis. >>> still ahead on wusa9, questions about eddie murphy and his small role at a saturday night live reunion slope. a fellow comedian is providing some answers. >>> plus, hurray for hollywood. the academy awards weekend. >>> welcome back. police are questioning a person of interest in

after 11:00 when a red xterra came down the road, swerved across the road and ran over 49-year-old vanessa dixon. the car swerved back across the road, striking a parked car, careening again crossing a front lawn and hitting a car in the driveway, all of this on a quiet street in the middle of the day. tonight, dixon's family is asking questions as they gather to remember her. >> that drunken driver, you know, dragged her body all the way and killed my poor sister, going to work. that's what i want to know. >> when i was on the internet and i saw that it was her name there, it was like it's done? that's your mother? so i, i handled it how i felt i should have handled it. >> reporter: dixon was the mother of five with four grandchildren, just celebrated her 49th birthday. her family says she was a giver. >> i would like to know exactly what happened because in that residential area, car is not supposed to be going at that speed. >> you've heard of other people getting killed by drunk driver and you never think it would hit home. >> she was a sweetheart, warm hearted person, very nice, very nice s

police say he hit vanessa dixon as she stood near a bus stop in silver spring.ixon was 49 years old. police say rodriguez also hit two other cars. >>> the fbi is asking for your help to find two men believed to be behind a number of bank robberies. these are the pictures police sent us. they say these men robbed two banks in less than an hour in northern virginia yesterday. first bb&t on east maple avenue, about 40 hins later, a wells fargo in sterling holding one pe at gun point. investigators believe the same would are connected to a robbery in mclean last month. >>> i'm richard jordan at the live desk with breaking news. we're just learning that the taliban in afghanistan says it will meet with u.s. officials in qatar today for what they're calling peace talks. no confirmation from the u.s. that they will be part of these meetings. but the taliban saying this is in the works, that it will in fact happen today and that several taliban commanders will be part of the talks. although they acknowledge that one day of meetings cannot solve years ever conflict. we'r

. >> grandmother vanessa dixon run over and killed while standing at this bus stop. police suspect david rodriguez, the driver of this maroon s.u.v. was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. they questioned rodriguez and impounded his car. he was later released, no charges filed as detectives say they need to dig deeper. >> if we place some charges now, it may prevent us from placing other charges later. as a form of double jeopardy. >> records show rodriguez has gotten two speeding tickets since 2013. in october, a state trooper caught him going 80 in a 55 and just last month rodriguez pleaded guilty. a judge fined him $80. >> and i've never known that he would even drink, like he seemed like an innocent guy. >> maribel hernandez lives next door to rodriguez's home where today, no one came to the door. flowers now live where dixon lost her life. her family devastated. >> vanessa is a loving and caring girl. she would cook. she would feed everybody that's hungry! she would give and give and give. >> and so david rodriguez is walking free at least for now living he

the victim vanessa dixon was headed to a job interview when she was hit by an suv.are investigating the crash as alcohol represented. the related. police have not released the results of the test. the is devastated. >> she had five children and three grandchildren and whoever take her life away, i need to see that person put to justice. >> it could be six to eight weeks before charges are filed. the driver is not in custody. >>> the fbi is trying to keep you safe the next time you head to the bank. the bureau along with local police is offering a $30,000 reward for this group of bank robbers. take a look they're dubbed the black hat bandits because they dress in all plaque and always cover their faces. since last month, the bandits have hit seven backs in seven week. we've posted the photos on our nbc washington facebook page so you can get the word out about these bandits. >>> a bill that allows breast feeding in more public places is now headed to virginia governor terry mcauliffe's desk. the current law in virginia allows breast feeding on state owned property bu

vanessa dixon of kc had just celebrated her frightening birthday when she was killed while waiting at the bus stop on crest haven drive. dixon's family is trying to raise $15,000 on a know fund me page. if you want to donate, head to the wusa9 page and search dixon. >>> a family is reeling tonight after a pit bull mauled a 2-year-old girl to death. it happened inside a home last night near pittsburgh. while the whole family was over for kiner. taylen devon's father said he was in the kitchen when the dog suddenly attacked the 2-year-old. >> she was bleeding. it should never have happened the way it happened. >> investigators still do not know what caused the dog to attack. >>> detectives are in turkey looking for three missing british school girls. they boarded a plane in london nearly a week ago and there are fears they left to join isis. authorities said 5 00 people have abandoned britain for syria and there's a growing trend of more young girls joining the terror groups. their families are begging for the teens to come home. >> if you're watching this, please come home. mom needs y

police say the red suv you see in our chopper 4 video here hit vanessa dixon as she stood near a bus stop along crest haven drive. she was 49 years old. police identified the driver was david rodriguez and say he also hit two other cars. he's being held on suspicion of drunk driving. >>> back to back is the new court schedule for the man accused of murdering uva student hannah graham. a jury trial will begin on june 29th for jesse matthew. that's just after he's in court in fairfax for an unrelated sex assault. matthew is accused of killing graham last september after meeting her just a few blocks from uva's campus. her remains were found five weeks later. >>> president obama has chosen joseph clancy to permanently lead the secret severanceekcret service. he has been interim leader since julia pearce julia pierson was reresigned. >>> president obama spoke at the white house summit on violent extremism this afternoon. he says the problem is not the muslim religion, and he said people should stop using the term "islamic terror." some critics say the president should hit islamic extremi

he hit vanessa diksxon as she stood near a bus stop. dixon was 49 years old.say rodriguez also hit two other cars. >>> 5:35 right now. 15 degrees at reagan national. the fbi asking for your help to find two men believed to be behind a number of bank robberies. take a look here. they robbed two banks if less than an hour in northern virginia yesterday. first this will bb&t on east maple avenue about 40 minutes later, they robbed the wells fargo in sterling holding one person at gunpoint. investigators believe the same two may be connected to a robbery in mclean last month. >>> today actor danfully glover will join the u.s. postal workers union as it kicks off new contract negotiations. glover is the son of two postal workers. this is the first time in more than four years that contract negotiations have taken place. the postal union has been critical of recent cuts at the service. today the union president plans to outline his vision for the agency which includes better customer service and longer hours at neighborhood post offices. >>> a city in arizona is rem