Slipped out of his nursing home to new adventures he had on the way. Good evening. David is off tonight. Im byron pitts. Thank you for joining us on this saturday night. We begin with comedian tracy morgan in Critical Condition tonight at a new jersey hospital. He was injured in a multivehicle accident on a new jersey turnpike. This is what is left of the mangled limousine morgan and five others were riding in. Millions of americans know him from his years on 30 rock, playing a larger than life version of himself, a part tina fey wrote especially for him. Morgan was on his way back to new york from a performance in delaware when the accident happened. Hes in intensive care at this hour and abcs gio benitez reports from the hospital tonight. Reporter the middle of the night crash sent shockwaves through the entertainment world. Im scared, but im also excited reporter 45yearold comedian tracy morgan, best known for that starring role on 30 rock, now in Critical Condition with head injuries. He and six others riding in a Mercedes Sprinter limo bus that ended up in a sixcar pileup, killing one of morgans friends, comedy writer james mcnair. Tonight abc news learning a truck may have caused the accident and rearended morgans limo. Police sources say the truck driver may have dozed off and failed to see the slowmoving traffic ahead. The truck swerved to avoid the limo bus but ended up slamming into it. Morgans limo then lost control, spinning into two other vehicles before landing onto its left side. The truck driver identified as kevin roper from georgia. Hes charged with one count of death by auto and four counts of assault by auto. If it is a case of fatigued driving, the toll on the nations highways has been steep. More than 750 die and 20,000 injured each year at the hands of fatigued commercial truck drivers. In this instagram posted by one of the other injured passengers, we see the inside of that limo just minutes before the accident. He had been with morgan for a standup comedy routine that had earned morgan a standing ovation. The caption in the photo tragically reading, the road life is a good life. I know what stem cells are but what is research . Reporter morgan has enjoyed a long career in comedy. For years he was a part of the cast of saturday night live, and his return to standup comedy featured in this interview with Barbara Walters just last year. When im on stage i like to let people know where i come from. Reporter and here at the hospital morgans rep says doctors do not expect any change in his condition tonight but that his family is here and he is receiving, quote, excellent care. Byron . Gio benitez, thank you. Now to the Severe Weather moving across the country tonight. 20 Million People in its path. Since yesterday nearly two dozen reported and confirmed tornados striking seven states, including this twister about 40 miles east of denver, threatening this lone house on the prairie, while in little rock, arkansas winds of up to 60 Miles Per Hour shredded a metal roof and wrapped pieces of it around polls and parked trucks. I want to bring in meteorologist julie durda. How long is this Severe Weather supposed to last . For the next few days. Theres no relief for them. Its been five consecutive days. Our friends in the great plains all the way to the southeast has had to deal with Severe Weather. Tonight the same. Were expecting Severe Weather from denver into nashville, large hail, strong winds, tornados. Unfortunately again tomorrow, a very similar situation. It slowly shifts towards the east but overall, still the same conditions for our friends across most of the middle section of the United States to the southeast. Middle of the country heavy rain but out west a very different story. Completely different story, hot and dry. Were talking triple digits into sunday. Las vegas forecasting a high of 104 degrees. There is an excessive heat warning in effect for them. Sacramento 102, 106 in phoenix. Julie durda, thank you. And now to georgia where the streets outside a county courthouse were quiet after a bloody shootout on its steps. Tonight were learning more about the gunman and his arsenal of weapons and the hero who kept him from using them. Abcs Steve Osunsami is there. Reporter today the lone sheriffs deputy who confronted a gunman who tried to drive into the front of this georgia courthouse is facing additional surgery but already saying hes ready to go back to work. Just before lunch this was the sound of the gun fight outside the Forsyth County courthouse north of atlanta recorded on a cell phone by an eye witness. Police say that dennis marks, a selfdescribed antigovernment sovereign citizen, was behind the wheel of this silver suv carrying an assault rifle, tear gas, pepper spray, two handguns, a bomb, and flex ties that he planned to use to restrain people. Authorities say this orange smoke is from the smoke grenades he hoped would stop police. He came here for the purpose of occupying the courthouse it appears. Reporter Deputy Daniel russ was working security outside the busy courthouse and was shot in the leg, but he shot back. Police say he kept this gunman from carrying out his plans. A small army of police ran to the scene, firing at the suv where marks was killed. They shot windows out of the car and the guy fell out on the ground. Reporter police here say theyve dealt with marks before, saying hes a known problem. They continued to investigate his home. There they found more explosive devices. Marks was due in court friday after an arrest for an alleged Marijuana Possession with intent to distribute. We know him. He was known to us before. Quite a few things are under investigation right now. Reporter marks was part of an underground movement that believe its members dont have to follow the law. The government calls them domestic terrorists. They publicly reject violence but members have had shootouts with police before. The family of the injured deputy has received Death Threats online from antigovernment supporters. Steve osunsami, abc news, cumming, georgia. Overseas tonight a massive rescue in the mediterranean with u. S. Navy ships on the scene. Americans responded to a distress call involving six small vessels, one of them sinking. 282 my grants on those boats were transferred where they were fed and given medical care. Five people were flown to a hospital in malta and the rest taken to italy. Next to Diane Sawyers exclusive interview with former secretary of state Hillary Clinton making headlines tonight. Diane asking about medical issues after republican strategist karl rove suggested she may have suffered traumatic brain damage after a fall in 2012. How is your health . Very good, thank you. How serious was it . It was it was a serious concussion. The clot in addition, the clot had dislodged. Can i tell you, that was a scary point. You had trouble with vision . I had because of the force of the fall, i had double vision for a short period of time, and i had some dizziness. Did you have trouble talking . No, none of i had no problems. The only thing i had headaches . No. I didnt have any of that. I felt fine, and i felt it was kind of silly that i was supposed to stay in bed. I ran into congressman paul ryan at the inauguration last year, and i had read he was this great athlete. I said, congressman, did you ever have a concussion, and he said yes, several, i had three, the last one was serious but my mother was smart enough to make me stay in. What happens to athletes, soldiers, young people in car accidents, all the reasons why people get concussions, they shake it off. I felt like, you know, i can get back up. I can go to work. The doctor said no, youre going to stay and rest because then you will have a complete recovery. Fast forward, i go home for christmas, go to new york for christmas, and i want to go back to work. So my doctors say, okay, lets just do an mri to make sure that everything is healing as we think it is. So heres what they say. They say, the good news is the concussion is totally resolving. Like we told you, its going to be fine. The bad news is you developed a clot behind your right ear and you Must Immediately go to the hospital because we have to immediately put you on blood thinners. Because you had a clot in your right leg before when you were traveling. I had. Were they related . Yes. Blood thinners for life . Probably but i dont mind. I dont have want to go through that again. No lingering affects of any kind . No. No lingering effects. Of any kind. No. So so you would release your medical records if you ran for president . I would do what other candidates have done, absolutely. What would you like to say to karl rove about your brain . That i know he was called bushs brains in one of the books written about him, and i wish him well. Well have more from the interview on this week with George Stephanopoulos in the morning. You can catch the entire interview, diane sawyer with Hillary Clinton, monday night 9 00 p. M. Eastern. Nothing off the table. Her marriage, her plan for 2016, and when will we all know whether shes going to run, a look inside clintons life we have not seen before. On the eve of her new book, hard choices, that prime time special monday night. Now, she was the original phenomenal woman. Today her friends, the famous and her family gathered to remember author and poet maya angelou. During the Service Today in North Carolina former president bill clinton described her this way, god loaned her his voice. Heres abcs susan saulny. Reporter they called it a celebration of rising joy, both tearful the loss i feel, i cannot describe. She was the ultimate teacher. Reporter and triumphant she touched people all across the globe, including a young white woman from kansas who named her daughter after maya and raised her son to be the first black president of the United States. Reporter friends and family, former president bill clinton, the actress cecily tyson, all thankful for angelas listens. Her great gift in her actionpacked life was she was always paying attention. E. Her great gift in her actionpacked life was she was always paying attentions. Her great gift in her actionpacked life was she was always paying attentions. Her great gift in her actionpacked life was she was always paying attentiono. Her great gift in her actionpacked life was she was always paying attentionn. Her great gift in her actionpacked life was she was always paying attentions. Her great gift in her actionpacked life was she was always paying attention. Reporter in angelous last interview with abc news, i asked her what she would say to her younger self. Dare, dare to be more than you think you can be. Dare. Reporter and dare, she did. Susan saulny, abc news, washington. Now on the shores of normandy france tonight, the crowds are gone after the ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of dday, including someone who let nothing get in the way of his being there. Abcs Alex Marquardt has the story. Reporter its being called the great escape. 89yearold british world war ii veteran bernard jordan had been told there was no more space on an official trip to the dday anniversary celebration, so he decided to go alone. Wearing a new blazer with all his medals he slipped out unannounced from his nursing home. First a bus, then a ferry, where he met this group of singers before making it to the shores of normandy. When that night the nursing home couldnt find the former royal navy officer, they called the police. Thats the type of chap he is. I think that generation, you know, when they set their mind to something, they dont let anything get in the way. Reporter jordan had linked up with a group of fellow british veterans and called to say he was safe. Today jordan returned to loud cheers, happy to be home. This is a smashing country. Im proud to have served it. Reporter when jordan got back today, the nursing home says he had a hardy english breakfast. After an emotional trip, jordan says he hopes to go back again next year. Byron . Alex, thank you. We have much more world news on this saturday night. Up next, one of the nations Toughest Police arson squads is now under fire. Can we talk to you about the investigation . Many are asking, are investigators excusing the innocent. And later in the broadcast, what in the world is gone on here . The story behind operation rhino lift coming up in your instant index. Our instant index. Im randy and i quit smoking with chantix. For 33 years i chose to keep smoking. Because it was easier to smoke than it was to quit. Along with support, Chantix Varenicline is proven to help people quit smoking. Its a nonnicotine pill. Chantix reduced the urge for me to smoke. It actually caught me by surprise. Some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. If you notice any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. Tell your doctor about any history of Mental Health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. Dont take chantix if youve had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. 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Its one of the toughest crimes to prove. Nearly 17,000 fires across america are intentionally set, but arrests are made in only about 20 of those arson cases, except in phoenix. Long considered the best in the country, the citys elite arson squad is finding itself under fire. An abc news nightline investigation is looking into how the team racked up its impressive arrest record. Reporter this is captain sam richardson. Two fires today already. Reporter and captain fred anderson. Its a wrap. Reporter theyre investigators with phoenixs elite arson squad. They threw something in here. Reporter critics asking did that success come at the expense of innocent victims. I was being framed for a crime that i didnt commit. Reporter Barbara Sloan and carl caples, a former sheriffs deputy, claim they were falsely accused of arson. You were in jail for 16 months . It ruined my life. Reporter adding credibility to their charge, the findings of an arson investigator hired by the defense. I think there are other cases, other innocent victims out there. Reporter nearly five years ago abc news was given extraordinary access to this elite unit, an inside look at what made them the best in the nation. Sadie is an accelerant detection canine. Shes a food reward dog. Reporter the unit is run by a charismatic and confident former police detective, jack valentine, who by his own admission had no prior background in fire investigations. Under his leadership, the units clearance rate skyrocketed from solving 22 of the cases in 2007 to 65 in 2010, the highest in the country. Back then the team was proud to boast about their success. But not now. Can we talk to you about the sloan investigation . I take it the answer is no. Reporter back when they were talking to us, the captain made an interesting statement about their investigative techniques. We used to think that we had to have concrete evidence and often we do. But now weve gotten smart enough where we can put a case together with circumstantial evidence and make it stick. Weve done it time and time again. 911, where is your emergency . Theres a fire. Reporter in sloan and caples cases, charges were eventually dropped. Barbara sloan believed she was falsely accused to boost the units arrest numbers. I believe he was pushing for the arson clearance rate to be the best in the nation. The case is under review by the phoenix Public Safety office. Results are due back in the coming weeks. Still ahead on world news, the huge surprise for that Seattle College student who may have saved countless lives by bravely taking down a gunman. How perfect strangers are saying thank you to him and his bride to be. She keeps you on your toes. You wouldnt have it any other way. But your erectile dysfunction it could be a question of blood flow. Cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be Ready Anytime the moments right. 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Where are they taking him . I dont know. This seems excessive decontaminations in progress. I dont want to tell you guys your job, but. Policies without the price tags. Now, thats progressive. Finally tonight, California Chrome at the belmont stakes, the colt who won surprising victories at the Kentucky Derby and the preakness falling short in the final leg of the triple crown. Win or lose, the thoroughbred is still finishing in the money and defying the odds. Heres Lindsay Czarniak from our sister network, espn. Go California Chrome, yeah reporter all the excitement, all the fan fare for this horse, the colt no one expected would win the Kentucky Derby. The preakness. Only to be suddenly catapulted to the most celebrated underdog in america. Instead it was tonalist in the winners circle. California chrome came in fifth. His owner irate with racings rules which dont require todays courses to run in the Kentucky Derby or the preakness. Thats right. Its all or nothing. Its all or nothing. Because this is not fair to these horses that have been running their guts out for these people and for the people of the league to have somebody to come up this is a cowards way out in my opinion. This is a cowards way out. Reporter his owner, first time breeders who dropped just 8,000, a business move that sparked a nickname. Somebody at the barn said, man, you guys are real dumb asses. The Company Became dumb ass partners, a Company Worth millions. When theres a triple crown on the line that means more than 100,000 people here. For now, history will have to wait. California chrome may not have run his way into the record books, but he still gave the nation a reason to believe. Lindsay czarniak for abc news, elmont, new york. Thats it for us tonight. Gma first thing in the morning followed by this week with george. We hope to see you here tomorrow night. From all of us here at world news, good night. Fog hung over parts of the bay area today, other areas saw temperatures reach the 90s. Tomorrow, the temps expected to go even higher. Im cornell bernard. Firefighters will be ready as tomorrows high heat pushes the fire danger to the extreme. Already today, the east baysa at least two brush fires. Were joined with a look at the damage started by one fire today. Lisa. This fire was put out fast by firefighters, but not before it did some serious damage. Look at this rv. Total loss, and this ski boat, it used to hold 14 people. Thats destroyed, and the fire itself, however, started in that field. Witnesses say someone was mowing very tall grass in this one acre plot when the fire suddenly started. There was a lot of smoke and the wind was blowing, which caused the fire to move to the boat and rv as well as peoples homes. They rushed to the scene, they were not only fighting the fire but also staged in front of homes trooprotect them. Those who live out here are very frustrated by what happened. I think it was a riding mower, which is what was crazy. 95 degrees in the middle of the day mowing twofoottall grass. Should have better sense. We pulled his boat out, got it out of here. Weer