World headquarters in new york, this is nbcnbc nightly news. Reporting tonight, lester holt. Theres been another violent collision between a commuter train and a vehicle stopped on the tracks just north of los angeles in oxnard, california. The metro link train carrying earlymorning l. A. Bound commuters simply couldnt stop in time when a truck wound up in its path. Dozens were injured, three critically and the ntsb is arriving tonight to lead the search for answers after a rash of similar accidents at rail crossings across the country. Lets get right to the scene in oxnard now. Miguel al maguire is there for us. Reporter lester, good evening. The commute into los angeles turned into a fireball on the rails. Tonight, wreckage is strewn all over the rails behind me. Federal investigators are en route here. They say its incredible no one was killed. The fiery moment just after impact sent panicked passengers scrambling for their lives. It was like a bam boom reporter jolting them on the train. Definitely thought we could die. Reporter investigators say a produce driver drove his truck onto the rails just before 6 00 a. M. The metro link train with 51 aboard plowed right into it. All five cars derailed, three tossed on their sides. That thing was literally obliterated. Reporter firefighters scrambled to reach the injured. Tonight, three are in critical condit orthopedic injuries, spine fractures, rib fractures. The type of injuries you would expect from a major trauma incident. Reporter powered from the rear the train which can reach a max speed of 79 Miles Per Hour spotted the truck in the crossing applying the emergency brakes early, slowing before the explosive impact. Metro link said the passenger cars are equipped with newly installed safety features, including a crumple bumper that absorbs collision. I think we can safely say that the technology worked. It definitely minimized the impact. Reporter tonight the truck driver who fled the scene is being questioned. This rail crossing is rated one of the most dangerous in all of california. In an intersection known for its accidents, this one could have been much worse. Miguel almaguer nbc news, oxnard, california. This is tom costello, just 13 hours before this mornings crash, a 30yearold woman was killed in Silicon Valley when her suv got stuck on the tracks. In front of an oncoming commuter train traveling at 79 Miles Per Hour. And it was three weeks ago tonight that a packed commuter train in new york slammed into another suv on the tra five people killed. Nationwide some 855,000 passengers ride commuter trains every day. 476 million trips each year. But there are also 2,000 accidents at Railroad Crossings each year. Last year alone, 239 people were killed. Its just a basic fundamental rule, dont stop on the tracks. Dont start across the tracks until youre sure you can get all the way across. Reporter in chicago, 17yearold luke wilson was hoping to beat the train to get his 14yearold sister lauren to school play rehearsal. They never made it. Lauren was killed, luke suffered internal injuries and broken bones. Luke has never gotten over it, that crash. Neither physically nor psychologically. He lives with that, as we do, every day of our lives. Reporter that was in 1994. Since that day, their father has been on a mission, pushing new Railroad Crossing systems that use four gates, not two, to prevent drivers from illegally going around a gate and tempting fate with a train. Its up to counties and states to determine where to put those four or quad gate Railroad Crossings. Were told the deployment over the last 15 years has been rather slow. And the advice remains the same dont ever sit on tracks and dont ever try to outrun a train. Lester . Tom costello, thanks. All the way south to atlanta, more than 20 states nearly coast to coast from idaho all the way to new england felt temperatures at or below zero today. So much of the country now covered in ice from this brutal streak of weather. Dangerous conditions on the road and all we can do is ask is there any end in sight. Heres nbcs gabe gutierrez. Reporter the morning commute in north georgia was treacherous. This car out of control, slamming into an emergency vehicle. Snow, sleet and freezing rain paralyzed parts of the south, not used to this much winter. Georgia does have snow. We enjoy it in small amounts. Reporter in dallasft. Worth, a plane skidded off the runway. In tennessee alone, the weatherrelated death toll now up to 30 in kentucky the National Guard is rushing to deliver bottled water after burst pipes and frigid weather cut off Water Service to more than 30,000 people. Even more recordbreaking lows. 23 in vermont, minus 21 in concord, new hampshire. Coast guard cutters are out on marylands chesapeake bay. And nbcs dylan drier has more. The coast guard says this is one of the worst winters theyve seen since 2004. Theyve had to make sure that the shipping lanes stay open for the barges that transport 70 of the northeasts home heating oil. Reporter last week this medical facility in philadelphia was covered in ice after firefighters doused it with water. Now theyve demolished it. In south carolina, Football Players power through this frigid morning practice. In suburban atlanta, kids enjoyed a snow day, but some parents and teachers were frustrated their School District waited too long to cancel classes. It was a bit confusing not to know if theyre going to school or not. Reporter a winter now keeping much of the country offbalance. Tonight there is still plenty of snow here on the trees in north georgia. Theyre expecting even more tomorrow, up to five inches. And tonight a new winter storm warning has just been issued for atlanta just to our south. Lester . Gabe, thanks. Al roker is braving the freeze out at the mall in washington. Al i feel like in a typical winter we get breaks between this kind of weather. Where are those breaks . Reporter were stuck in this one pattern and its not going anywhere anytime soon. We get a little bit of a break today, or tomorrow as far as the arctic air. But look at whats happening. Weve got another arctic front pushing in ahead of the temperatures slightly cooler. But behind it, anywhere from 20 to 30 degrees below average. The lows by thursday morning from the great lakes to the northeast 10 to 20 degrees below average. Highs on thursday only get up into the teens from buffalo to portland. Down to cincinnati, into the 20s. You can see winter storm watches, warnings and advisories from texas all the way to the carolinas, including atlanta. You can see dallas, rain and snow, Winter Weather advisories until noon tomorrow as we move to the east, atlanta is going to be under, as gabe mentioned, a winter storm warning for another two to four inches. As we move to the coast with this system were looking for another four to six inches of snow in raleigh, North Carolina and beyond. Were going to be continuing to see storm after storm after storm, lester. Al, well see you in the morning. Thank you. In southern new jersey the sound could be heard for blocks when a home on a quiet street sus suddenly exploded. The enormous fireball turning the structure into splinters and injuring at least 15 people. Reporter it was sudden and spectacular. Police dash cam video capturing a gas explosion that ignited a fire and leveled a stafford, new jersey, home. It happened so quickly, the explosion, debris all around us. It comes from nowhere. Reporter the incident happened as the new Jersey Natural GasCompany Crews searched for a reported leak in the neighborhood. Melissa lewis lives nearby. I dropped and covered my daughter. She was standing next to me. And i stood up and then i heard them screaming outside. Reporter the blast that could be felt up to a mile away injured 15 people, two critically. 75 homes were evacuated before the blast as workers tried to find the source of the leak. Many other houses, some 300 in the area, lost gas service and electricity on a brutally cold day. Tonight as residents here wonder when they can go home, investigators are trying to figure out why this house went up in flames. Ann thompson, nbc news, new york. Now the late word from stephenville, texas. Where the jury is about to get the case of the american sniper trial. Closing arguments are under way and nbcs jacob rascon is there. Reporter the prosecutions final piece of evidence was an apology. In a jail house recording played for the jury, Eddie Ray Routh says, quote, it tore my expletive heart out when i did it. I dont know why i did it, but i did it. Two weeks of testimony from three dozen witnesses boils down to this, was routh insane or deliberate when he shot chris kyle and chad littlefield at a texas gun range two years ago. A crime scene analyst told the jury today routh waited to strike until his victims had their backs to him, and shot them from only feet away saying they especially kyle quote, absolutely never saw this coming. Routh has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. His attorneys argue he was psychotic at the time of the shooting. The prosecution arguing he knew his conduct was wrong. Kyles widow spoke at the oscars where the movie inspired by her husbands auto by oh graphy american sniper about her husband. I miss my husband. I want him here. Its been two weeks of im not supposed to talk about it. The details are horrific and hard to listen to. I have faith in the jury. I think theyll come to the right conclusion. Reporter closing arguments are wrapping up right now inside the courthouse behind me. The jury will begin deliberating the case in a matter of minute and they have three options before them. Guilty, not guilty, or not guilty by reason of insanity. Lester . Jacob rascon tonight, thank you. Word from the Justice Department tonight that George Zimmerman will not face federal charges in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin during a confrontation back in 2012. Zimmerman was later acquitted of seconddegree murder and federal prosecutors now say theres not enough evidence to bring civil rights charges which would have required proof zimmerman killed martin because of his race. In a statement Trayvon Martins parents said today, quote, although we are disappointed in the government findings we remain poised to do everything in our power to make sure that senseless violence is eradicated and no parent or community has to go through what weve had to endure on a daily basis, end of quote. The secretary of Veterans Affairs is apologizing for a claim he made about his Service Record while a camera crew was following him. Today he found himself with some explaining to do. Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski has more for us. Reporter va secretary Robert Mcdonald seeking out Homeless Veterans on the streets of los angeles. But its this exchange that aired on cbs last month that landed him in trouble. Army . What unit . Special forces . What years . I was in special forces. Reporter problem is, thats not true. Mcdonald was never a member of army special forces. That was wrong. And i have no excuse. Reporter at a News Conference outside the va today, mcdonald tried to make it right. With your experience, your service to the military then and now, how could you possibly say such a thing . I made a mistake. And i apologize for it. Reporter but he still took fire today from combat veterans, like senator john mccain. It was wrong of him to claim that as part of his resume. But im much more concerned about his performance as secretary of Veterans Affairs. Reporter a graduate of west point, mcdonald went on to special Warfare Training at fort bragg and joined the rangers, not special operations forces. President obama picked mcdonald last year to straighten out the scandalridden va hospitals. And today, the white house stood behind him saying, we take him at his word. But on meet the press two weeks ago, he embellished his record at the va. Weve got 60 people we have fired who manipulated wait times. Reporter turns out only 20 were dismissed. Of course, all this intense scrutiny follows recent controversies over claims made by Brian Williams and fox news Host Bill Oreilly about their own war reporting, lester. Jim, thank you. One more note from washington, as he said he would, president obama today vetoed legislation that would have given the green light to extend construction of the Keystone Xl Oil pipeline from canada all the way to the gulf coast. Its just the third veto of his presidency. Congressional republicans may try to override the veto, but they appear to be just short of a twothirds majority in the house and senate that they would need. Still ahead here tonight, the mystery in the sky over paris, on high alert after a series of air attacks. Who is flying drones over major landmarks in the dark of night, and why . Also, buried treasure. Were on the hunt with a guy whos made some incredible finds. Tonight, sharing his secret to striking gold in some very unlikely places. Gold in some very unlikely places. 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Overnight drones were spotted flying over closely guarded sites. Even though it is illegal to fly them in the city. Now the hunt is on for the pilots at the controls. We get more from nbcs katy tur. Reporter they buzz the city under the cover of darkness. Drones flying over some of the most famous and sensitive landmarks in paris. Between midnight and 6 00 a. M. , at least five small drones, french officials say, and so far they dont know who was flying them, or why. The first drone was seen over the u. S. Embassy, then the eiffel tower, the louvre, the best deal, and the interior ministry. Authorities arent yet commenting publicly on their investigation, but given the recent attacks in paris, theyre taking the incident very seriously. In fact Security Officials well beyond france are concerned about the potential for the threat posed by drones from parliament all the way to the whho just last month, a small drone crashed into the white house lawn, an accident it turned out, not a threat. But a reminder that drones are hard to detect, too small to be easily stotd by radar, and hard to stop. The main threat they would use is attack explosives, and drive it into somethin i think they clearly have that capability, and that would create a shock effect, the terror effect they really want to seek. Reporter todays incident was not frances first runin with drones. Last october they were spotted over more than a dozen of the countrys Nuclear Power plants. Investigators are looking into whether the people behind that incident could also be behind todays. Katy tur, nbc news, london. A lot more to tell you about. Were back in a moment with a big reason to smile tonight for kids all across the country. 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