The 19year veteran serving eight tours of duty shackled. What hes now accused of. The oscar firestorm. Kevin hart and the apology that made news after homophobic comments, then stepping down from the hosting job. Tonight, the moment that played out on ellen. And she revealed today shes called the academy herself. The customer who raced out of a beauty salon without paying. The employee who went to get her instead struck and killed. Tonight, the search for the young customer. And the veteran nfl star who spots a boy wearing his jersey. And what happens next . America strong. Announcer this is abc news world tonight with david muir. Good evening. Its great to have you with us here on a very busy friday night. We begin with the government shutdown. Day 14 now. The twoweek mark. Tonight, the president is now saying he could declare a National Emergency to get his border wall. The president saying the shutdown could last months, even years, he said. There are 800,000 American Workers waiting to get paid. Others who will not get back pay. And the president said today those workers are on his side. He said this has a higher purpose than next weeks pay. The democrats saying afterward, you cannot hold hundreds of thousands of workers hostage to the wall. Abcs terry moran leading us off tonight from the white house. Reporter democrats emerged after their marathon meeting with President Trump calling the talks contentious, and claiming the president told them hes willing to have the shutdown go on for months or a year, which trump himself happily confirmed in the rose garden. Did you say that . I did. And is that your i did. Is that your assessment of where we are . I did say that. Absolutely i said that. I dont think it will. But i am prepared. Reporter the president was asked about that moment in the oval office. Would he still say hes proud to own this shutdown . Im very proud of doing what im doing. I dont call it a shutdown. I call it doing what you have to do for the benefit and for the safety of our country. Reporter whatever the president calls it, there are 800,000 federal employees, from Corrections Officers to scientists to janitors and dispatchers, all now furloughed or working without pay. Trump was asked, whats your message to them . This really does have a higher purpose than next weeks pay. And the people that wont get next weeks pay or the following weeks pay, i think if you ever really looked at those people, i think theyd say, mr. President , keep going. This is far more important. Reporter but democrats argue this is all pointless and unnecessary. Dont hold millions of americans, hundreds of thousands of workers, hostage. Open up the government. And lets continue the discussions. Reporter they say they are willing to talk Border Security with President Trump, just not a wall. The fact is, a wall is an immorality. Its not who we are as a nation. Reporter now, abc news has learned President Trump is considering a kind of nuclear option. His administration has been drawing up a plan for trump to declare a National Emergency so he can go around congress and build the wall himself. Have you considered using Emergency Powers to grant yourself authorities to build this wall without congressional approval . And second i have. Reporter you have . Yes, i have. And i can do it if i want. Reporter so, you dont need congressional approval to build the wall . No, we can absolutely call a National Emergency because of the security of our country. Absolutely. No, we can do it. I havent done it. I may do it. Reporter so is that a threat hanging over the democrats . I never threaten anybody. But i am allowed to do that, yes. Terry, your question and that answer making immediate headlines. I want to get to something else. The president was pressed during that briefing on whether there will be any sort of safety net in place to help those 800,000 American Workers who are still waiting to get paychecks. Reporter he was asked about that. His answer was that the Strong Border his policies will achieve is the safety net. The wall is the safety net. He was asked if landlords and bill collectors should be lenient on government workers. He said they should. He said they should go nice and easy on people who cant pay their rent or bills. David . Two weeks in and no end in sight. Terry moran, thank you. Tonight, the horrific scene. The deadly collision on a highway near gainesville, florida. Five children among them on their way to disney world. Two big rigs and two Passenger Vehicles colliding on i75. Some of the vehicles erupting in flames. Drivers clearly shaken by what they saw as they passed the burning wreckage. Many of the injured were treated on the scene. Abcs Victor Oquendo is in florida tonight. Reporter tonight, florida investigators are on the scene outside gainesville trying to piece together what caused this fiery wreck that killed seven people, five of them children. Its a heartbreaking event. Oh, dear jesus, please be with them. Reporter a fireball consuming part of interstate 75 oh, my god. Reporter after investigators say a tractortrailer and a car headed northbound collided. Crashing through that guardrail, right into the path of another tractortrailer and a church van, headed south. Once the semis struck, they both caught on fire. Oh, my god, this is crazy. My heart is pounding. Reporter drivers, now stuck behind the inferno, fleeing. Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Look. These things are actively blowing up. Reporter officers forced to treat the wounded right there on the highway. The van, packed with nine children and three adults from this United Pentecostal Church in marksville, louisiana. They were nearing the end of a 700mile trip to disney world. Five of the children on board were killed, including the granddaughter of the church pastor. Their ages range from 9 to their teens. I couldnt believe that Something Like that could happen so quick. Just horrific images. And victor joins us live tonight. What are we learning about the injured . One of the survivors was a pregnant woman . Reporter thats right. Some good news here. Officials in louisiana say she and the baby are doing okay. And the rest of the injured are expected to recover. David . Victor oquendo in florida tonight, thank you. Now to the other major concern tonight on roads and highways right up the east coast. Theres a storm moving up the coast hitting the northeast tonight and into tomorrow. Ginger zee is tracking it all as she has been all week long for us. Hey, ginger. Reporter david, those strong storms on the southern end of it already knocking down trees in north florida. Gusts of 45plus in jacksonville. Look, its raining all the way up to raleigh. Eastern north carolina. It will make its way through the midatlantic tonight. By tomorrow morning, youll wake up saturated from new york city to hartford, connecticut. Right through long island. It doesnt end there. Theres the backside of the system. You get more in the afternoon anin e dry out. Not dry when youre taabout the. One, two, and three systems in the west. About to hit not just Northern California and the pacific northwest. But southern california, too. Up to four feet of snow in the sierra. Up to a half foot of rain. Thank you. We turn next tonight to two deputies now charged after driving two patients in a van around a road barrier and right into floodwaters. The deputies were rescued from the top of the van. The patients drowned inside. Heres Abcs Steve Osunsami now. Reporter these two former South Carolina sheriffs deputies appeared in court today wearing jailhouse jumpsuits. 66yearold stephen flood and 29yearold Joshua Bishop are charged tonight with Involuntary Manslaughter in the drownings of two Mental Health patients who they were assigned to move to a care facility during the floods of Hurricane Florence last september. Prosecutors say theyre both criminally negligent for driving past barricades and failing to turn away from deepening floodwaters about an hour north of myrtle beach. 45yearold wendy newton and 43yearold nicolette green were locked in the back of the sinking van and drowned. The two deputies were found alive sitting on the roof. They were not able to get the van doors open and to get the ladies out. Reporter the families of both women want the men convicted. It wasnt a tragedy. It wasnt an accident. Reporter one of the attorneys for the two men says his client did everything to try to save these two women. And even risked his life. Both of the two former deputies are out on bond tonight. Now to an elite navy s. E. A. L. Who has pleaded not guilty to war crimes. Including murder. He denies the charge saying the evidence against him is coming from disgruntled s. E. A. L. Team members under his command. Heres abcs chief National Correspondent matt gutman tonight. Reporter hed been decorated with a chest full of medals, but today navy s. E. A. L. Platoon leader Eddie Gallagher wore shackles. Gallagher was a medic and a sniper, saving lives and claiming them, as well, in the line of duty. In his arraignment today, he pleaded not guilty to allegations including plunging his personal hunting knife into this teenage isis combatant in the neck and body. According to navy prosecutors, the teenager in this video was brought to gallagher for medical treatment. The alleged isis fighter tells this iraqi reporter his father berated him for joining isis. Gallagher was arrested in september. His wife telling fox news, his country turned against a hero. 15 weeks in jail at the brig at miramar. This is unfathomable. Reporter hes also accused of attempted murder for firing at iraqi civilians to produce death or grievous bodily harm. What makes this case unique is that most of the evidence comes from the s. E. A. L. Team he commanded. Now gallagher has called them disgruntled. He faces a military jury in february. David . All right, matt, thank you. No apology tonight from a newly sworn in congresswoman who declared overnight were going to impeach President Trump, though she called the president something we cannot repeat. Tonight, the president has now responded. And so has speaker nancy pelosi. Mary bruce is on the hill for us. Reporter freshman congresswoman Rashida Talib today getting her first taste of tand by yoomments from last night . Reporter refusing to answer questions about this video and her profane promise to go after the president. When your son looks at you and says, mama, look, you won. Bullies dont win. And i said, baby, they dont. Because were going to go in there and were going to impeach the [ bleep ]. [ cheers and applause ] reporter at the white house, the president said it came up in his meeting with new House Speaker nancy pelosi. I said, why dont you use this for impeachment . Nancy said, were not looking to impeach you. I said, thats good, nancy. Thats good. Reporter he called talibs comments disgraceful. I thought it was a great dishonor to her and her family. I thought it was highly disrespectful to the United States of america. Reporter but pelosis pointing out that the president is hardly one to talk. I dont like that language. I wouldnt use that language. I dont, again, establish any language standards for my colleagues. Mmhmm. But i dont think its anything worse than what the president has said. And mary, that congresswoman is defending herself tonight . Reporter yeah, david, talib is standing by these comments today, tweeting, i will always speak truth to power. Adding the hashtag unapologetically me. These comments are a source of concern for democrats who have been treading carefully on the issue of impeachment. Mary bruce live on the hill. Thank you. There was encouraging news on the economy helping the fluctuating stock market. 312,000 new jobs were created in december. The biggest gain in ten months. Wages were up, too, up 3. 2 from a year ago. And the Federal Reserve chairman indicating that Interest Rates may not rise in 2019 as quickly as expected. Stocks soaring on the news. The dow recovering from the steep dive yesterday gaining 746 points. Now to the abc news interview. 25 years after the case made national headlines. Lorena and john Wayne Bobbitt. The man at the center of the story sitting down with our amy robach in this me too era to make the case that he says it was all a coverup. That america did not hear the real story. Reporter its a story that deeply fascinated the nation and deeply divided men and women. Lorena bobbitt. Lorena bobbitt. A court case that attracted international attention. Reporter 24yearold Lorena Bobbitt claiming shed suffered years of physical and sexual abuse, attacking her husband, 26yearold john Wayne Bobbitt, while he says he was sleeping. In 1993, lorena claimed the violence in the marriage began early. It was frequently. It was every time he would hit me, he would just try to force me into the sex again. Okay, marking. Reporter 25 years later, john sitting down with abc news, denying he ever abused his now exwife. She punched me. Reporter she punched you . Yes. Reporter how often did she hit you . A lot. Reporter lorena has said that you were physically abusive to her. Yeah . Well, shes turned things around. I could say shes physically abusive to me. She never went to the hospital. Never had anything seriously wrong with her at all. A lot of turmoil. Its not like we were out to kill each other. Reporter you never fought back . Tried to subdue her or restrain her. Not to hit her. We get in a fight, you jump on me and start hitting me and i try to subdue you, youre going to get some type of injury. A bruise. A fat lip. Reporter what is your definition of spousal abuse . It could be anything. Punching a hole in the wall. Verbal abuse. Reporter did you do any of those things . In moments of anger . Did you push her, shove her . Yeah, we fought. Reporter but thats not spousal abuse . I think that is fighting with each other. Reporter did it leave marks when you restrained her . Of course. I had marks on me, but i didnt flaunt it. Reporter both bobbitts went to trial. John in november 1993 and was found not guilty of marital sexual assault. Lorena bobbitt two months later was found not guilty of Malicious Wounding by reason of insanity. Why now, 25 years later . And what do we learn tonight . Reporter were going to learn a lot tonight, david. John Wayne Bobbitt says the entire story was one big coverup. He gets his chance to explain why. Youll remember people on the streets supported Lorena Bobbitt. Tonight, as this all unfolds, you can decide once again whose side youre on, particularly in this me too environment. Amy, well see you later on. The special twohour 20 20 the revealing interview airs tonight at 9 00 p. M. Right here on abc. In the meantime, theres still much more on world news tonight this friday. New numbers on the flu. New numbers in the states where theres the most concern. Also, the customer who raced out of a beauty salon without paying. The employee who went after her who was then struck and killed as she drove off. Tonight, the search for that customer. The oscar firestorm. The newly selected host kevin hart who was asked to apologize for homophobic comments he did and stepped down. Did ellen just get him the job back . What she reveals today. Calling the academy herself. And america strong tonight. The veteran nfl star spotting a boy wearing his jersey. What happened next . Well be right back. Happened next . Well be right back. L be right back. Thats why i switched to liberty mutual. They customized my insurance, so i only pay for what i need. I insured my car, and my bike. My calves are custom too, but i cant insure those. Which is a crying shame. Only pay for what you need. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. I just drank tons of water a proall the time, it was never enough. My dentist suggested biotene. My mouth felt more lubricated. I use the biotene rinse and then i use the spray. Biotene did make a difference. [heartbeat] but prevagen helps your brain with an ingredient originally discovered. In jellyfish. In clinical trials, prevagen has been shown to improve shortterm memory. Prevagen. Healthier brain. Better life. Next tonight, comedian and actor kevin hart. After stepping down as oscar host this year, did ellen just get him the job back . Heres abcs kayna whitworth. Reporter tonight, Comedian Kevin Hart talking openly about his dramatic exit as the host of the oscars on abc. After the string of homophobic comments he made years ago resurfaced. Sitting down with ellen degeneres. Im not upset. I know who i am. I know i dont have a homophobic bone in my body. I know that ive addressed it. I know that ive apologized. I dont want to step on that stage and make that night about me and my past. Reporter degeneres, who has hosted the Academy Awards twice herself, then went on to defend hart. I think its perfect that all this happened because there has to be a conversation about homophobia. And whatever brought up whatever they did and whoever is trying to hurt you, it brought up you reminding people that youre a bigger person. That youve already apologized. Youre apologizing again. [ applause ] as a gay person, as someone who actually what . Yes, im so sorry to break this to you. Reporter ellen then revealing she personally called the academy to vouch for hart. So i called them and said, kevins on. I have no idea if he wants to come back and host, but what are your thoughts . And they were like, oh, my god. We want him to host. We feel like maybe he misunderstood. Or it was handled wrong. Or maybe we said the wrong thing. But we want him to host. Whatever we can do, we would be thrilled. And he should host. Reporter david, ellen now facing backlash herself for defending him. As for hart, he says hes evaluating their conversation. David . Kayna, thank you. When we come back, the major headline about the flu. And the customer who left without paying. And the employee who was struck and killed trying to stop her. Tonight the hunt for this young woman. Well be right back. D killed trying to stop her. To stop her. E Crohns Disease, i was there, just not always where i needed to be. Is she alright . I hope so. So i talked to my doctor about humira. I learned humira is for people who still have symptoms of Crohns Disease after trying other medications. And the majority of people on humira saw significant symptom relief and many achieved remission in as little as 4 weeks. Humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. Before treatment, get tested for tb. Tell your doctor if youve been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if youve had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flulike symptoms or sores. Dont start humira if you have an infection. Be there for you, and them. Ask your gastroenterologist about humira. With humira, remission is possible. Want a performance car that actually fits your life . Introducing the new 2019 ford edge st. 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Inflammatory bowel disease can happen with taltz, including worsening of symptoms. Serious allergic reactions can occur. For all the things that move you. Ask your doctor about taltz. Saved an average of 412, syou probably wont believe me. But you can believe this, real esurance employee nancy abraham. Look her up online. Esurance, its surprisingly painless. What sore muscles . What with advpounding head . Advil is. Relief thats fast. Strength that lasts. Youll ask. What pain . With advil. To to the index and other news. Theres a search tonight for a young customer after a deadly hit and run in las vegas. Police say surveillance shows Krystal Whipple left the salon without paying. An employee, ngoc nguyen, chasing after her. She was struck and killed. Authorities are now asking for the publics help. We have news on the flu tonight. The cdc reporting today 19 states with high levels of flu activity now, there on the map. The number of pediatric flurelated deaths at 13. Health Officials Say theres still time to get your flu shot. The nfl star and the little star on the street. Miami dolphins star Danny Amendola surprising a young fan on the street wearing his jersey. Heres what happened. Bro. Come here. You know whose jersey youre wearing . Yes. Whats his name . Danny amendola. Thats me. How are you, brother . Not bad. A little handshake there. Amendola and his young fan then posing for a picture. The fan in the jersey, not the player. When we come back, the special delivery that moved everyone who witnessed it. Who is our person of the week . Not having a Good Breakfast can make you feel like your day never started. Get going with carnation breakfast essentials®. It has protein, plus 21 vitamins and Minerals Including calcium and vitamin d, to help your family be their best. Carnation breakfast essentials®. To help your family be their best. So lionel, what does 24 5 mean to you . Rade well, it means i can trade after the market closes. Its true. So all. Evening long. Ooh, so close. Yes, but also all. Night through its entirety. Come on, all. The time from sunset to sunrise. Right. But you can trade. From, from. From darkness to light. Youre not gonna say it are you . Essential for pine trees, but maybe not for people with rheumatoid arthritis. Because there are options. Like an unjection™. Xeljanz xr. A oncedaily pill for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well enough. Xeljanz xr can reduce pain, swelling and further joint damage, even without methotrexate. Xeljanz xr can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma have happened. As have tears in the stomach or intestines, serious allergic reactions, low blood cell counts, higher liver tests and cholesterol levels. Dont start xeljanz xr if you have an infection. Your doctor should perform blood tests before and while taking xeljanz xr, and monitor certain liver tests. Tell your doctor if youve been somewhere fungal infections are common and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. Needles. Fine for some things. But for you, one pill a day may provide symptom relief. Ask your doctor about xeljanz xr. An unjection™. Do i use a toothpaste that whitens my teeth, or one thats good for my teeth . Now i dont have to choose. From crest 3d white, the whitening therapy collection with new spearmint and peppermint oil. It gently whitens, plus it has a fortifying formula to protect your enamel. Crest. Healthy, beautiful smiles for life. And back pain made it hard to sleep and get up on time. Then i found aleve pm. The only one to combine a safe sleep aid, plus the 12 hour pain relieving strength of aleve. Im back. Aleve pm for a better am. Finally tonight, our person of the week. The little bears in blue and the teenage girl answering her own call to duty. 16yearold megan ogrady from cape coral, florida, traveled to denver this week to deliver these teddy bears she made for the family of Fallen Police officer heath gumm. She used his uniform to make them. We get a shirt in from either the family or the police department. Reporter megan has been doing this for families across the country. Here are the parents of officer gumm. Thank you very much. Thank you so much. When heath was little, i always called him buddy bear. Now i have a little buddy bear again. Reporter two years ago, megan started her own organization, blue line bears. My dad is a Police Officer and after the attack on dallas where five officers were killed, it kind of prompted me to step up and do something for the families who have lost someone. Reporter she has her father, but she knows other families have lost their moms and dads. 454 bears and counting. Her first bear was presented to the son of lt. Debra clayton of the Orlando Police department. Seeing this patch. Feeling it again. I thought i would never be able to feel it. Shes amazing. Reporter and 4yearold mason from louisville, who lost his father, officer nicholas rodman. He takes that bear everywhere he goes. Sleeping with it every night. I want them to be able to hold a piece of their loved one again. And so we choose megan ogrady. Im david muir. Good night. National excitement is focused right here in the bay area as the best College Football teams arrive to go headtohead in the championship game at levi stadium. Im spencer christian. Ill have a look at storm heading our way that may affect the game monday night. Stay tuned. Were live in the stephan curry under armour party in downtown oakland. Hundreds are in line, but the question is will they all get in . Live where you live, this is abc 7 news. Who is going to win . Alabama. 14 points. Who is going to win . Clemson, of course. Go tigers the rivalry survived the trip across the country as both fans and players for the College Football Playoff National championship game arrive in the bay area. Good evening. Thank you for joining us. Im ama daetz. Im dan ashley. The south bay is hosting the biggest sporting event in the bay area since superbowl l. The college Playoff National championship game will be held at levi stadium on monday and preparations have been under way for weeks now. The Clemson Tigers arrived an hour and a half ago and clem tonto clemsons tigers just touched down. David louie with our coverage. It is a journey out here that both teams hope will carry them to a National Championship monday night. Behind me here is the plane that brought the clemson team here about an hour ago. The alabama team is right behind them and should be landing momentarily. We are very excited because this will be an exciting event coming up on monday. A chartered plane with the Clemson University tigers made it first, landing at 4 20 in san jose. A group of Football Players from theson mateo lyons were on hand to greet them as they headed to five waiting buses. Sky 7 was overhead as the alabama crimson tide touched down just before 6 00 with another large contingent. Three airlines