stephen tschida with the effort to take care of the most vulnerable in college park. stephen: they are still not great here. but check out skies above me. this is where it was the worst. right over the spelman senior c it was blanketed in black smoke. a lot of students walked by there. they were coughing and covering their faces. thick black smoke consumed the university of maryland campus. the students covered their faces and struggled to breathe. >> it's really foggy. >> some students head to class complained about the air and wondered why the fire continued to rage after the smoke appeared. >> it's overbearing. the campus is foggy. it smells really bad. it's not safe to be out in this condition. >> the house for senior citizens is next to apartment building under construction where the fire broke out. when the smoke started filling it, the senior res debits evac -- senior residence evacuated. >> we had to move; constantly move. it was flooring toward you. constantly. you could hardly bre >> we are waiting concerns of the senior citizens. we have learned from the fir

stephen tschida, abc 7 news. developing now, metro police have arrested a man in connection with a robbery on a red line train over the weekend. marcus lee is facing criminal charges. we have been showing this video since early this week. the police are looking for all of them and say they may be conn nancy: our first look at the metro budget report, and it appears metro needs $15.5 billion over the next 10 years to stay safe and reliable. if it does not happen, service would need to be reduced or more public funding. what is at stake could be safety. if funding stays the way they are, metro officials believe it could erase the good that has been done by the safetrack efforts. >> if this region once a third world transit system, and embarrassment, keep doing what you are doing. is just a proposal in several discussions will be held before the budget is finalized. steve: the first forecast from stormwatch 7, clouds are trying to break up, mainly south of d.c. once that happens, patchy fog early in the morning. a b

stephen tschida explains why the current law is ruffling feathers. flock flourished in northwest d.c. but the health department gave of town.rs in april to jim fought and won a reprieve for his birds. he says they are pets and live in an pemably proper coup -- impeccably proper coup. there are no roosters so there is no crowing. he says the neighbors can't hear the chicken but he knows they love them. >> people think it's great to have chicken. it improves urban life. stephen: alison says it brings joy to her family. >> we started it as a hobby for the children and we enjoy the fresh eggs. stephen: she and her family also fought and won but the mayor maintains it's illegal to keep chickens in the city and wants to pass legislation to clarify the law. >> it's legal in the district to have chickens and they would haven't to change the law if it wasn't that way now. family. it's difficult to break them up. none of the chicken owners with whom we spoke has any idea where the birds will go if the city forces them out. stephen tschida, abc7 news. michelle:

stephen tschida has that story. there were more than 50 arrests in march alone? stephen: that's right, just a handful of police officers, but they are bringing a lot of impaired drivers off the roads. >> people swerving, speeding, driving way under the speed limit. members of thene fairfax county police department dwi enforcement squad are focused on the signs of a drunk driver. >> through the end of march, my officers arrested 128 impaired drivers. officers madenot up one quarter of all dwi arrests in fairfax county this year. this officer is on the road during prime time for drivers under the influence. >> generally between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. loud thea grant out dwi squad to be set up, which is proving effective in getting impaired dri >> i average one arrest every day for me. there are a lot of people still driving intoxicated. stephen: stephen tschida, abc 7 news. jonathan: the continuing fight over obamacare could lead to a government shutdown as early as next week. congress has until next friday to pass a spending bill. the house could also vote on a new bil

stephen tschida arrived at the scene. show us what happened. hat we've got at the scene. you can see the bus behind me. you see the wheelchair there. over here is the point of impact to the right we understand six developmentally disabled adults live here. the bus was bringing one of the residents, a woman home when the driver apparently lost control, slammed into the house. the woman who was in the wheelchair, we do understand was thrust from the wheelchair onto to the ground on the bus. she was taken to the hospital as was the individuals inside the group home. you can see over my shoulder active scene. we understand that the driver of this bus is on board that bus. two people in the hospital being checked out. now the director of the group home says she doesn't believe the injuries are serious. the six vental disabled he -- six developmentally disabled adults will be placed somewhere while repairs are undergoing. jonathan: six students have minor injuries after the

stephen tschida has the latest. stephen: a troubled young man is charged with a vicious stabbing death of 79-year-old david norwood. the suspect, 21-year-old tinnie cunningham who goes -- 21-year-old malcolm cunningham is a step-grandson of norwood. >> got the wrong thing. >> malcolm amir respected a room for nine months. he says that amir became abusive >> ray says when his mother left for church amir returned to the home to clean up the room he vacated. leaving him to bleed on the floor of the home. >> a father figure. >> amir is charged with second-degree murder. stephen tschida, abc7 news. larry: a murder mystery in prince george's county. police are trying to identify the victim and the suspect from the murder on springdale avenue. this woman knocked on a door before collapsing in the yard. a reward offered for information leading to an arrest. nancy: a 2-year-old murder and the man that the f.b.i. says is responsible is now on the most waned bhadreshkumar chetanghai patel has not been seen hins police say he sl

stephen tschida has more. popular cable news host bill o'reilly may have lost his job host bill o'reilly may have lost his job and his show on fox news. but he got a pretty big check, before he walked out the door. sources tell "the new york times".. o'reilley is receiving as much as 25-million dollars, after being ousted, amid a sexual harassment scandal. one of his accusers appeared on abc's "the view" yesterday.. and spoke about encounters with him. perquita burgess says o'reilly also called her "hot chocolate." last summer, fox news chairman roger ailes left the network with an exit package worth 40-million dollars. several women had made sexual harrassment allegations against "him." it appears.. disney is planning to launch its own ride-sharing service at its theme parks in orlando, florida. under the plan, disney cast members would transport guests between hotels and t vehicles. internal documents say the cast members need to have a year experience with the park. and they must be knowledgeable about disn

stephen tschida is live. what happened there? stephen: this morning smoke in the tunnel at the metro center. shut down red line and sue poupt circle. then it -- dupont circle. it was restored an then another interruption. a lot of the passengers are frustrateed with metro tonight. chaos again on metro. some were stuck on board and endured the long delays. >> it takes 30 minutes. it took me an hour and 15 minutes. for the third time in weeks the same problem created the commuter trauma. this morning at factor started smoldering. deteriorating to the point it couldn't project against a electrical current. >> i hate it. they need to fix this. >> metro is working on repair work to get them to avoid the current problems like we have had on the red line. reporting live, stephen tschida, abc7 news. jonathan: thank you. metro born meetings are never this exciting but a bunch of the workers stormed out chanting who moved this city? we moved this city. transportation r expand the demands and whether there is a sickout tomorrow. there is a l

stephen tschida joins us live. so how much will it cost us? stephen: $2 an hour.construction will begin in may. may 1. mid-june you will pay to park along madison drive. all around the mall. it will be $2 an hour. you have up to three hours to remain at the meter. you are supposed to move to another. 7:00 to 8:00. credit card, debit or the park mobile app. we are talking about the constitution avenue northwest between 15th and 22nd. jefferson, madison drive. even the tidal basin, and ohio drive. the national park service says it wants to raise the revenue to improve the experience of visiting the national mall. and some of the money generated are will go to the circulator you have to start paying to park in mid-june. jonathan: thousands of area catholics are gathering to mark a holy day. the way of the cross winds through the area to mark good friday. holiday will mark the day christians believe jesus was crucified leading to the resurrection that took place easter sunday. >> the windows that are mid-afternoon through 3:00 to 4:00 tomorrow. so let's get started to

stephen tschida joins us live with how seniors are coping. >> this is ho senior citizens. still smoke billowing over the spelman house and the senior citizens are still a long way from home. >> within minutes the thick and smell of smoke tore through the house for the senior citizens. >> so much smoke. we can't stay in there. >> it choked off the stairwells and the seniors inside got word to evacuate. >> keith grabbed cody his calt and took off. >> i got out of there. >> we found a you if dozen residents of the spelman house at a nearby rec center. some wondered when they would return to the apartments while others dealt with the effects from the smoke they endured. >> my eyes are burning. everybody eyes >> i spoke to a fire chief 15 minutes ago and he said there is still no timeline for when the senior citizens will return home and he hopes that it's a matter of hours and not a day or so. reporting live, stephen tschida, abc7 news. >> we will take a closer look at the effect of the fire on the university of maryland coming up at 5:30. right now on wjla.com, you can get up

stephen tschida is there live with the latest. stephen: about te george's county police department gave me a flyer. they will hand it out tonight and it has a composite of the mystery victim. we have a better image to show you now of the composite for you. this woman was found in the 3300 block of springdale avenue about 8:25 easter morning. she was in the front yard of the home. she had been fatally stabbed. no i.d., no tattoo or distinguishing characteristics no fingerprints so really no identity. this is what a detective said moments ago. >> we believe the decedent came to the house and knocked on the door, we are assuming to get some sort of help. by the time the homeowner was able to get to the front door, our the house. stephen: they have very little to go on. they are hoping that the images lead someone to recognize this woman and to come forward and provide some form of identification. reporting live, stephen tschida, abc7 news. nancy: thank you. in the first 100 days of the trump presidency flying by and today president tr

for more on that we head to stephen tschida. stephen: thank you. a lot of the commuters hoping to get to the destinations on the red line without the delays. this is after a smoky incident near metro center shut down the red line between gallery place and dupont circle. a couple of howevers later disrupted again for the repair work. >> another metro morning commute from hell. >> there was something about the smoke in the tunnel. >> for the thursday time in weeks a rail fast this. the piece that secures the track started smoking. the g.m. maintains the protective rubber seals wore out. >> they will expedite the repairs. the g.m. says the situations like this have them pushing prevent tiff maintenance program. >> this scary. it is scary to think that anything can break out. >> this has not undergone safetrack repairs. larry: our area isn't alone with the train troubles. amtrak announcing that it will replace signals at the penn station after the two derailments causing problems along the corridor. you can expect delays in the summer. >> if feels like

. >> they made different choices but the goal is stephen tschida, abc7 news. jonathan: congratulations. george h.w. bush is back at the houston home after two weeks in the hospital. doctors released the former president after treating him for a mild case of pneumonia and chronic bronchitis. this is bush third hospitalization this year. he is 92. >> indictment for those accused of rioting in the presidential inauguration. the additional charges include incitement, conspiracy and the destruction of property. today a florida man pleaded guilty to the charges against him. while more than 100 defendants have agreed to combine their defenses and not testify against each other. jonathan: it seems that the head of the security for chicago two airports now is out of a job. the "chicago sun time" report that jeffrey redick was fired for failing to disclose sexual harassment allegation against him at a previous job. after hour of the officers were suspended for dragging a passenger off united flight at o'hare international airport. michelle: a major traffic alert for you

stephen tschida has the deal. stephen: 63-year-old eulalio tordil feeded guilty to four counts, to of first degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. he is charged with six counts in montgomery county. there was a shooting that started in prince george's county when he was charged and he pleaded guilty to killing his estranged wife gladys. that took place outside of a public high school in beltsville. there was a power point of numerous evidence that included video of the actual killing of gladys tordil. we also heard the 911 call. that her daughter made. there were writings that he made to apologize to the victim before the shooting spree. murph problems, estrangement from his wife, loss of his job and pending sexual abuse allegation against a minor contributed to tordil a lifetime law enforcement officer and the federal protective services agency to go rogue and become a malicious serial killer. he is looking at the possibility of life in prison without parole. we will be back to bring you the compelling

stephen tschida is joining us now. how are the police combating this?drunk drivers they can do a field sobriety and it's easy to see it and smell it but with drugs it's not that easy. stephen: the symptoms are similar. people are surprised by the finding but not the police officers who patrol the route who decriminalized marijuana. study found for the first time more drivers killed in the crashes have drugs in their system than alcohol. is it as dangerous as alcohol? >> no. >> personal experience? >> no. >> they are pulling over the impaired drivers to determine blood tests to be on drugs. not drunk.

stephen tschida is live to break it down. thissed is route 50 out of d.c.he officers who patrol this route are not surprised. more often they tell me they will pull over a driver that they think is drink but turns out he or she is on drugs. >> a study of drivers that are killed in the crashes uncover dramatic shift in contributing factors. >> we find drugs that are more predominant now. >> they is safety administration found 44% had legal or illegal drugs in their system. 37 tested above the legal limit for alcohol. >> the public needs to understand it's not okay to smoke pot and drive. >> the most common is marijuana but also opioid. they are frequently pulling over the drivers who are determined high. >> imron pair the ability to drive a car. whether it's cocaine, p.c.p. or marijuana. >> thigh are see something many drugged drivers it's sending the member to a training center. to be aware of what the

reporting live, stephen tschida, abc7 news. michelle: senseless crime. thank you.t's emancipation day in the district. that means changes to the normal schedule. rush hour parking restrictions are not in effect along with the meters and the residential parking rules. nonemergency road construction has been suspended for the day. this is the reason you have an extra day to do your taxes. tomorrow is tax day. jonathan: elementary school in san bernardino reopened one week after a deadly shooting. security has been tightened. counselors are on hand for the students and the staff. the school h since monday when a man walked in the estranged wife's classroom opened fire. shooting and killing her with the 8-year-old student. gunman killed himself. michelle: rainbow flag targeted at a church in plano, texas. someone snatched the rainbow flag and put an american flag in its place. they found a note taped to the flag pole explains why it was taken. >> i didn't agree with your flag so i took it down. p.s., there are only two, two gender. michelle: police say it could beer --