ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 4pm - January 2, 2026

Episode Date: January 2, 2026

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Breaking news right now for the FBI foils an ISIS-inspired terror plot in Charlotte. An 18-year-old is in custody accused of planning to carry out a deadly attack on New Year's Eve in the Queen City. ABC's Perry Russam is standing by in Washington, D.C., with the latest on this case. And former teacher at Rollsville Charter Academy charged with the sexual assault of a student. Appearing in front of a White County judge today, Elena Athens is standing by with the latest from inside the courtroom. Plus, a new North Carolina made brand with a heavy dose of motivation, We'll introduce you to the Durham clothing brand that's racking up a huge social media following. Right now, live coverage from your local news leader, keeping you connected to your community, and your first alert forecast.

Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11 eyewitness news. Right now, four, we're following breaking news out of western North Carolina. The Department of Justice has thwarted a possible terrorist attack from taking place on New York. Year's Eve in Charlotte is an alleged plot that could have been deadly. And it is a happy new year, although it came very close to not being such a happy new year for a lot of people this year. This afternoon, we're learning more about the 18-year-old charged in this case. Thank you for joining us for eyewitness News at 4. I'm Barbara Gibbs. And I'm Lauren Johnson. In for Amber Repenta. Let's get right to that breaking news.

The FBI saying an 18-year-old man is under arrest. Federal prosecutors say he planned to attack random people with knives and hammers. in support of ISIS. ABC's Perry Russell. We're now live from Washington, D.C., with more on the ongoing investigation. Perry, good afternoon. Well, good afternoon. Investigators say when they searched his home,

they found two knives and two hammers. He was hiding under his bed and handwritten notes outlining his plan. The Department of Justice says 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant was planning to use knives and hammers to carry out a terror attack on New Year's Eve in support of ISIS.

He was preparing for jihad and innocent people were going to die. And we're very, very fortunate. They did not. Federal prosecutors say Sturdivant was targeting a grocery store or a Burger King in Midhill, North Carolina, outside Charlotte, where he lived. We do have some intelligence that he was looking at a grocery store because there would be a lot of people there. Prosecutors say Sturtervan was active online, posting on TikTok and chat rooms. Two people he was unknowingly communicating with were undercover agents. According to court documents unsealed today, Sturtevan allegedly said the U.S.

would pay for its retaliatory attack on ISIS targets after two national guardsmen were killed in Syria in December. Investigation revealed that the subject was capable of executing this attack. He was training. He was doing push-ups, calisthenics, fitness. The FBI says they first started investigating Sturdivant when he was just 14 years old. According to court documents back in 2022, he was accused of communicating with an alleged member of ISIS who encouraged him to attack his neighbor. Almost out the door, Sturdivant was stopped and restrained by his grandfather. He was never charged. If your child, relative, friend, or neighbor is sliding into a dangerous ideology, you'll be the first to see it. And together we can stop it.

Sturtevant was arrested on New Year's Eve. The same day prosecutors say he was planning on carrying out that attack. He had his first court appearance this morning, not clear if he entered a plea. Live in Washington, Perry Russell, ABC 11. I win his news. agencies in several states coming together to make this happen. Perry, thank you. New details this afternoon about the investigation into a former teacher in Rollsville facing multiple sexual assault charges related to a student. 25-year-old Armani Field appeared before Wake County judge today. Elena Athens joins us now live for the Wake County Justice Center. Elena, good afternoon to you. What happened in court today?

Well, the hearing this afternoon was the third time that Armani Fields went before a judge recently. Two new charges were filed against him here in. in Wake County and this afternoon. A judge set bond on those new charges to $150,000. So Fields is a former teacher at Rollsville Charter Academy and was allegedly sexually assaulting a student. Two law enforcement agencies have filed charges against him. The 25 year old is facing several felonies right now.

These include first degree kidnapping, sex act with a student, statutory sex offense with a child, and sexual exploitation of a minor. Rollsville police say he sexually assaulted a minor November 6, and the Johnson County Sheriff's Office says he had images of him sexually engaging with a 14-year-old from November 16th. The judge this afternoon gave a stern warning on fields to fields if he were to post bond. No contact the alleged victim. That's just what it means. And I'm pretty strict and severe with that. No contact is nothing direct or indirect.

No phone calls, no text messages, no reaching out through social media. No dummy profile. files, anything like that, no sending gifts through Amazon. You're to have no contact at all. So how much jail time that Fields is facing on just these two new charges that were filed against and we'll have that coming up ahead at 5 o'clock. For now we're live outside of the Way County Justice Center in downtown Raleigh, Elena, Athens, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Right, Elena, thank you. The Johnston County man accused of beating an elderly couple during a home invasion appears in court today. Eyewitness news was there. As Thomas Wright made his first court appearance, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office says that Thomas Wright went on a crime spree in Four Oaks on New Year's Eve. And in one case, deputies say he forced his way into a home attacking an 81-year-old man and his 74-year-old wife. We know the man is now out of ICU and his wife is still recovering at Wake Met Hospital. Right is now facing at least six felony charges. He was denied bail and is due back in court on January the 22nd. All right, Steve Daniels in the breaking news center with details on a chase that ended in a crash in Moore County.

Hi, Steve. Hi, Lauren. Yeah, this is a very serious breaking news situation. We're tracking here in the breaking news center right now. A lot of moving parts. I'll lay it all out for you. It was a police chase that ended in a crash and a fire. We have Chopper 11 flying from the RDU airport to the Moore County, Richmond County line right now. This crash happened along U.S. 1 southbound.

Let's go through the points we have coming into the breaking news center right now. I can lay this out for you. There were three vehicles involved in this chase, and they all three of them caught fire. There was a suspect vehicle, a Moore County Sheriff's Office vehicle, and a Pine Bluff Canine vehicle as well. The Moore County Sheriff's Department, they started this chase in the town of Pine Bluff. They were reportedly going after a stolen car. It just ended a short time ago on US1 Southbound and Glider Road.

That's just over the Moore County line into Richmond County. The Pine Bluff officer and a canine officer were able to get out of their vehicle as was burning. They are safe. And we understand the Moore County Sheriff's deputy is fine as well. We also, I want to go back to Chopper 11 on the way there and we can show you what's happening as we are flying to the Moore County Richmond County line. The Sand Hill Sentinel is on the scene right there and they are showing this big field. The cars crashed into this field and that's where they're burning. The field also caught fire and the Sand Hill Sentinel also reporting that the guy driving what was reported to be a stolen car got out of that car, took off.

running and there is this big search right now to try to get him into custody. So just to recap here, it's a police chase that ended in a crash. Three vehicles involved burning. The guy in the stolen car is reportedly still out there on the run right now. Chopper 11 will have first live pictures from the scene there along US1 southbound near Glider Road coming up in the minutes ahead and you'll see it here from the breaking news side or Lauren. All right. Steve, thank you. Let's go outside now. This is the view of the city of Raleigh from our Pindo Tower cam on this Friday afternoon. Things are clear at this hour, but some rain is heading our way. All right. Chief meteorologist Don Schwinniger's here now with a look at the forecast.

It is kind of so mild for early January, Dawn. It is, and it'll be even warmer next week. We'll talk about that coming up in the seven-day live look on First Alert Doppler Network. We're dry around our region tonight. But if we take a look at our first alert predictor forecast model times on the title there, we run this ahead into tomorrow morning. By about 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, we've just got some light showers pretty much through the viewing area. The heaviest rain will be south of the triangle.

That light off and on shower activity continues through tomorrow afternoon. Then it finally presses out of here as we head toward the evening on Saturday. Live look on our Durham Mutual Tower, SkyCam 57 right now. Plenty of clouds out there on a southwest wind at five miles per hour. First alert to the evening ahead. Temperatures falling through the 50s. But the time we go on for ABC 11 at 11, it's down to 47. We'll talk more about this evening and the big warm up on.

the way in the seven day forecast coming up in just a bit ladies well now to some of the local headlines in your speed feed first fable police are investigating a deadly car crash it happened around 1245 this afternoon on cliffdale road near regency drive police say two cars were involved in the crash three people were taken to the hospital where one of them died from their injuries cliffdale road was closed briefly because of the crash but has since reopened police have not shared the names of the victims or how the crash happened shop local raleigh leader Jennifer Martin is apologizing this afternoon after she received backlash. After an anonymous online comment she made in a closed Facebook group, she was responding to a parent who was seeking

advice about their transgender child's desire to play after school sports. Martin responded to the comment or the question dismissing the existence of being transgender. That post has since gone viral and an online petition with hundreds of signatures calling on Shop Local Raleigh to take immediate action. Today Martin issued an apology on Facebook, it's I want to sincerely apologize for a comment that I made that caused real hurt and pain to some in our community. Martin went on to ask for forgiveness and says she hopes to move forward to continue to work with those in the community. The UNC health system will start to restrict visitors at hospitals. That's because a number of cases of flu and respiratory illnesses continue to rise starting on Monday.

Visitors younger than 12 will be prohibited from all inpatient and waiting areas. visitors with respiratory symptoms will also be kept away. A similar restriction is in place at WakeMed, Duke Health, and Cape Pier Valley Health. And we have a traffic alert for drivers in Wake County starting next week. The DOT will close the on-ramp each night at Interstate 40, I-40, and U.S. 1 interchange for soil testing. We have a list of the detours that will be in place from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on your screen, and that is your speed feed. Lauren O'Rean. All right, today, eyewitness news speaking with the mother of a Dura man shot and killed on New Year's Eve. Eyewitness news unseen as Durham police investigated that shooting, which killed 23-year-old Lawrence Hunt Jr. And today, Hunt's mother spoke with Sean Coffey from her home in Georgia. Sean joins us from DPD headquarters with more of their conversation.

Valerie Carter called her son the funniest member of their family, someone who brightened a room the moment he walked in. Today she called the last two days the hardest of her life and she vowed to do whatever it takes to find those for his death. Valerie said that Lawrence was raised here in Durham, but that she moved the family down to Alabama when he was in high school. She said he grew to love playing the cello and was an outgoing, fun-loving son. As he grew older, Valerie told us Lawrence would travel back and forth to Durham to be closer with his father who still lives here. Today, she described the agony of learning he had been killed, saying she wouldn't wish the pain on anyone. I can't sleep. I can't He, you know, I have six kids, but Lawrence, you know, you always get to have one.

You know what I'm saying? And Lawrence wasn't no angel, but he was my son. You know what I'm saying? And he was my best friend. Durham police tell us no one is currently in custody in relation to the shooting, and they are actively investigating. Valerie meantime says she's planning to travel to North Carolina next week to start planning next steps in Durham. on coffee. ABC 11, eyewitness news.

Heartbreaking for that much. Still to comment, IWitness News, of four new details in the deadly Switzerland fire, what investigators believe may have triggered that event. And Mexico rattled by a powerful earthquake. An earthquake rocking

parts of Mexico. Some of that damage and those dramatic moments caught on camera. I'm Olivia Rubin. Coming up with the latest. And we're taking a live look at I-40, Aven Ferry Road traffic fairly light on both sides for a Friday afternoon. Should stay that way. Folks still off for the week. We'll talk more about the clouds out there. The rain moving and

coming up as we head to break. Here are your traffic hotspots brought to you by your first alert weather team. Your first alert that we could have some low visibility. Warmer air working in. More clouds around tomorrow. The next chance of rain that we're watching. Always tracking, always alerting. Wind gust will be up around 30 miles an hour. Your first alert forecast team. ABC 11 I Witness News. We're back now with new details in the deadly fire at a ski resort bar in Switzerland. Investigators revealing today the fire was likely caused by sparklers in a champagne bottle that came too close to the ceiling. Multiple eyewitnesses mentioned seeing those sparklers similar to the one scene in a promotional video previously posted by the bar.

One eyewitnesses just before the flames erupted, she saw giant sparklers being carried out alongside bottles of champagne. So there was a survey that was on the shoulders of another one. And so she was holding the champagne way too high, and so it went on the ceiling. 40 people were killed, 115 others were injured in that fire. The suspect in the Washington, D.C. pipe bombing case will remain in jail until trial. That ruling from a federal judge today, the judge's decision comes two days after a hearing in which prosecutors argued that Brian Cole Jr. would pose a danger to others if he were released and allowed to live with his family. Coal is accused of placing explosives outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee

buildings in January of 2021. The judge says the bomber's speed assembling the bombs and impulsive conduct are concerning. The defense stressed that Cole has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder factors he said should be considered as to his client's mindset and ability to navigate jail. Cole has not entered a plea yet and no trial date has been set. A rare and deadly attack is under investigation. Officials say a woman was killed in a suspected mountain lion attack. If confirmed, it would be the first deadly incident involving a cougar since 1997.

According to authorities, hikers found a mountain lion about 100 yards away from that victim's body yesterday afternoon. Wildfire officials euthanized two lions found near that scene. Right now, massive protests are widening across Iran. At least seven people have been killed in the violence surrounding demonstrations. now in their sixth day, sparked in part by the collapse of Iran's currency. Crowds are chanting anti-government slogans, some shouting death to the dictator. President Trump and top Iranian officials exchanging dueling threats today. Earlier this week, President Trump was asked if he would support overthrowing Iran's government.

I'm not going to talk about overthrow over regime. They've got a lot of problems that are in. They have tremendous inflation. Their economy is bust. Economy is no good. and I know that people aren't so happy. Trump says if Iran kills any of the protesters, the U.S. will step in to help the demonstrators.

However, a top Iranian secretary official or security official warns American interference would lead to the destruction of American interests. Meanwhile, this was the scene of Mexico today, building, swaying, glass-shattering. People were rushing outside as an earthquake rocked parts of the area. Yeah, the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.5, according to Mexico's seismological agency

and was centered around Acapulco. ABC's Olivia Rubin has more. Brick and concrete buildings seen rocking back and forth as an earthquake struck parts of Mexico City today. Dramatic video showing debris falling to the ground. In this video from a hotel rooftop pool, you can see waves in the water as the building shook. Many people rushing out onto the streets,

some carrying children. Glass left shattered in the aftermath. Officials say the center of the quake hit in San Marcos in southern Mexico. So far, officials say only minor damage reported there. In Mexico City, President Claudia Scheinbaum was delivering her first speech of the new year when the earthquake hit, alarmed sounding the room briefly evacuated. Scheinbaum saying the moment caught on camera would go viral. This video is showing lights in a home swaying back and forth.

I'm in Mexico City, and I just experienced my first earthquake. American Terrence James was in Mexico City when it happened, evacuating out onto the streets. And of course, when you run out from an earthquake in just your underwear, of course you forget your hotel key, me and everybody else. So now, God only knows it belong before I get back in my room. Luckily, many people now able to return to their hotels and their homes, as officials in Mexico City work to inspect some buildings to ensure there is no danger of collapse. Olivia Rubin, ABC News, New York. More of Mother Nature on display we're seeing in all parts of the world.

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, and on each coast, we're seeing significant weather events. We really are. Luckily for us, we're doing pretty well. And a little bit of rain for tomorrow isn't a ton. We'll talk about that in just a moment. Live look on your first alert Doppler net scanning. Guys, dry tonight, you got any Friday night plans, you're going to be just fine. Looking live into the self-help sky cam on Hay Street, and our data there taking the day off. But let's go ahead and show you the number there. 61 right now in Fayetteville, 60 in Lillington, Smithfield, 58, Raleigh, 57, Durham, 53, Roanoke Rapids, and a pair of fives, Oxford, Roxborough, and Lewisburg.

Compared to yesterday at this time, everybody's a little bit warmer, other than Clinton, your one-degree cooler, but we're in some warmer air today, and we're about to get into some. very warm air by next week. Tonight skies will stay cloudy. It will not be as cold. Last night, some places dropping below freezing. Tonight will be down into the upper 30s, even lower 40s in spots under the cloudy skies. We see a couple of showers just starting to show up to the west of us tonight.

It's part of a massive system that's working through Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, even into South Carolina. Now, this is going to track east. It is going to use up a lot of its rain as it works through the mountains. and then eventually on the back side of the mountains, it'll tap into some of that moisture off the Atlantic. Future rainfall, though, not a ton of it. We'll just see about a tenth of an inch to a quarter inch.

These are down from yesterday. It's looking more and more like this. We'll track a little further to the south, and that means it will take that bulk of the moisture down toward Wilmington and into South Carolina. It's too bad. We need it. Looking ahead as we go from Saturday into Sunday, that system pulls out of here.

Sunshine returns 51. Then as we get into Monday, pretty typical. Temperatures running in the 50s, but out west there's a big warm up happening through Oklahoma City 71, Odessa, Texas, 77, and this warmer air is going to head east as we head into next week. Forecast looks like this for tomorrow, 43 degrees, cloudy, cold, often on light rain as possible throughout your Saturday on a northeast wind at seven miles per hour. First alert, seven-day forecast powered by ACU with a Sunday 51, really the better half of the weekend. If you need to do outdoor activity, Sunday is the day. partly cloudy 52 and then the warm air pours in Tuesday 63 Wednesday we warm up 67 a mix of clouds and sunshine and more humidity look at Thursday into Friday right now flirting with 70 degrees to round out next week so some very warm air for the first full week of 2026 just know you have to get through a little light rain as we head through your Saturday ladies all right thank you don up next the city of Raleigh warning of a parking scheme that could affect your Friday night plans the way they think Scammers are tricking people into giving up access to their personal and financial information.

Plus, it is the new year and we're seeing the first babies to be born across our area. Coming up next to look at these cute little girls born at Fort Bragg. Time now for some news you can use. Farmers will soon see a check in the mail. The Trump administration says now, one-time payments to farmers from a $12 billion aid package will go out by the end of February. The money is supposed to help farmers hurt by lower prices and last year's trade fights, but some say it will not be enough. The city of Raleigh is warning of a possible scam involving on-street parking meters by using QR codes.

They say those codes may be designed to trick you into clicking on malicious links or providing personal and financial information. Officials say if you're parking downtown, it's important to use the official app passport parking and never scan any QR codes. All right. There's some great news for drivers. We're seeing the lowest gas prices in four years, according to AAA. Prices are down 17 cents a gallon in the past month as the world is producing more crude oil than it needs. The average price is around $3 per gallon. These lower prices are expected to hold in 2026, barring any major disasters or disruptive geological conflicts. And that is news you can use. Lauren, back to you. All right, it's day two of 2026 in our local hospitals are still celebrating their first babies at the year down in the sand hills. Army Medical Center welcome their first boy and girl born on New Year's Day. Andrew Wyatt and his wife Mallory welcome twin baby boys just before 11 a.m. yesterday yesterday. Andrew Wyatt and Keith Dawson and his wife, Amanda, welcome baby girl Amber Dawson born just after 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Both families got gift baskets from the hospital for their precious babies. Congratulations. I know. All right. Still ahead. A Moore County firefighter and his wife are being held heroes after they sprung into action to help people tracked inside a burning car. We'll hear from the couple about the moment they decided to act. Plus, with the calendar flipping to 2026, some big changes going into effect at RDU Airport. What you can expect the next time you try to park there. We turn out to Harnock County where a car caught on fire with two people stuck inside.

Luckily, an off-duty firefighter and his wife were in the area. They were able to rescue the pair. Penelope Lopez spoke with a couple being credited with saving lives and she has their story. The off-duty firefighter and his wife didn't think twice about rescuing the people trapped in the car. Many are calling them heroes, but they say they were just doing what they were supposed to do. We did what we would think anybody would do in a situation like that, you know, making sure that someone was able to live to see the next day. It was a selfless act of bravery. Shortly after midnight on New Year's Day, off-duty Cranes Creek volunteer firefighter Dylan Turney did what he knows best,

run into fire to help save a life. We were sitting at home. I don't know where we heard this loud boom. It sounded like it came from outside. So I ended up, we had got up, and I walked up to the kitchen window and looked out across the intersection. And I've seen tell lights of a car, and I seen a fireball coming from the car. His wife, Kirsten, by his side, calling 911, without hesitation. and with no fire gear in hand, Dylan removed the driver from the vehicle on Flynn McPherson Road.

Two people were inside the car when it crashed. The passenger was able to escape, but the driver was in desperate need of help. When I got up to the edge of the road at the intersection, I seen somebody laying halfway out of the car, and the legs were still kind of prop up in the car on the driver's side. And by then, the car was pretty involved in fire, so I know I had to get up there and see if I got at least get them moved out. I'd ended up grabbing onto him and pulling him the rest of the way out. They're being hailed a hero, but they tell me they were just doing the right thing. All the part of the job, I do it not for myself, but for other people.

So it's kind of hard to take credit and being a hero. And that's what I do. And it makes me feel good to actually go to give back. The person inside the car was rushed to the hospital. Their condition remains unclear. Reporting in Harney County, Penelope Lopez, ABC 11, eyewitness news. What a story. Well, on the North Carolina coast, the Coast Guard rescues two people, their cat, and their dog. James Butts was part of the four-person Coast Guard helicopter crew that was repaged by the passengers of a 40-foot catamaran in distress, about 65 miles off Cape Hatteras.

Once they got on the scene, butts hopped into the water, swam to the boat where the couple on their pets were waiting. We elected to have the first survivor take the cat with them. So we ended up putting the cat, in a dry bag to keep it safe. And then after that, I swam back to the boat, and the second survivor was ready to go. And this one had a dog. So again, they were really well prepared. The dog had flotation as well.

So it made our job super easy. But says that it was truly a team effort that made this rescue possible. He and the crew say it was an unforgettable experience being able to answer that call. Now at four, family and friends are preparing to say goodbye to the daughter of former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. A total of seven people died, including Biffel, his wife, and two children when their jets slammed into the runway

at Stateville Regional Airport back on December 18th. The memorial service for 14-year-old Emma Elizabeth Biffel will be held Sunday at 3 o'clock at the Cane Center in Cornelius. Well, now to some other headlines in your speed feed. First, Monday is the deadline for Durham County residents to pay their property taxes. Payments can be made a few ways, either online in person at the administration building to building in downtown Durham or by telephone. If you don't pay by Monday, you could face interest fees, liens, and collection enforcement actions. Well, today is the final day to sign a book of condolences for the family of former North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt. Our state's longest serving governor died last month

at the age of 88. Our current governor, Josh Stein, is inviting the public to write a brief message to the Hunt family. He will then present them with the book on behalf of the citizens of North Carolina. That book is laying at the North Carolina State Capitol in the rotunda. The capital closes at five, so there is still time to get there. And as we head into the weekend, a reminder that the state's booze it and lose it campaign is still in effect. Authorities in all 100 counties are increasing patrols and sobriety checkpoints in an effort to crack down on impaired drivers over the holiday season. The campaign runs through this Sunday. And that is your speed feed. Lauren, back to you. All right, let's go down to RDU Airport. Big changes are now in effect. It's

part of the airport's ongoing expansion there. The economy four lot is officially closed to travelers as it transitions into an employee only lot. 11,000 parking spaces are expected to be added to economy lot three by the end of the year. Terminal two is also undergoing an expansion that will eventually be able to accommodate twice as many passengers. Well, new this afternoon in Durham, man, it was winning big after taking a chance on a cash five lottery ticket. Danny Lloyd won more than $300,000 after buying a lucky ticket last month from the family fair on Rocksboro Street in Durham. After required federal and state tax withholdings, Lloyd took home more than $200,000. Coming up, the urgent murder

investigation after an Ohio dentist and his wife were found shot to death in their home. What we're learning so far about the killings as police search for clues. Plus, he is an NBA champion, a finals MVP, a league MVP, and scoring champ all before the age of 30. And now he's getting an even bigger award coming up next the big achievement NBA superstar shy gogo alexander is celebrating alerting you first first alert weather on ABC 11 school shooting young girls shot through the neck extensive surgeries insurance offer and saltingly small our settlement deservedly big no wonder insurance companies hate us no wonder clients love us so you only check it twice Well, yes.

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personalized dark support fitting at the Good Feed store. Mornings on ABC 11, eyewitness news. I'm Joel Brown. And I'm Anna Rivera. Let our team help your team. Because every team needs a game plan. And your starts right here. Now to some other headlines.

Officials are responding to this scene. This evening will start to dry out your local news and weather keeping you connected. Helping you start your day with a smile. Our team. Your team. Winning mornings together. ABC 11 eyewitness news. We are local news.

When their child was tragically killed after being ejected from a minivan, the manufacturer refused to accept responsibility. We made their insurance company pay. No wonder insurance companies hate us. No wonder clients love us. Hi everyone. I'm Steve Daniels live in the Breaking News Center with the latest on a really wild breaking news situation unfolding on the Moore County, Richmond County line. A guy in a stolen van leads law enforcement on a chase, and it ends in this field right here with a big fire. Chopper 11 just arriving over the scene and will help us piece together exactly what happened.

This police chase started in Pine Bluff when the Moore County Sheriff's Office spotted what they said was a stolen van, and this guy took off and then wound up running off the road into this field right here, and that's where that van right there that they were chasing the heat from that van caused the grass in this field to catch fire. It was a very large fire there. Two law enforcement vehicles also followed the van into that field. It was a Moore County Sheriff's Office vehicle and a Pine Bluff police vehicle that had a canine inside that vehicle as well. You can see some of the firefighting foam left there from where they fought this fire.

But take a look at that. The wide shot from Chopper 11, that is right off US1 southbound, right at the Moore County, Richmond County line. That's where the guy ran off the road in that van. And right now, according to the details we're getting from authorities on the scene, search for that guy driving that van is on. He took off running. He's somewhere apparently in the woods there. They've got a massive search operation going right now. No injuries to the law enforcement people involved with this, but their vehicles have burned as well, as well as that

stolen van. So we're piecing it all together. We've been telling about telling you about it through the hour here on eyewitness news from the breaking news center. First live pictures from the scene from Chopper 11 will continue piecing it together as we learn more. You'll see it here on eyewitness at 5 o'clock, Lauren. All right. Steve, thank you. Right now, an urgent search is underway for the person who kills an Ohio dentist and his wife. Dr. Spencer Tep and his wife, Monique, were found shot to death in their home on Tuesday morning. Their bodies were discovered after Tep's boss called in a welfare check when he didn't show up for work. Police went to the home, but left after nobody came to the door. But they came back moments later when friends and the family say they could

see Spencer's body inside the home. So the body is usually next to the bed off of the service and it was. The couple's two small children were found inside the home unharmed. Police say this does not appear to be a murder suicide. There were no signs of forced entry. The murder weapon has not yet been recovered. A search is also underway in Alabama for a missing four-year-old boy. He disappeared during a visit with his father. Jonathan Bowley was last seen on Wednesday morning in Jasper, Alabama.

His father reported him missing that afternoon. agencies, including the FBI, searched more than 500 acres yesterday using drones, divers, tracking dogs, and a helicopter. The child's father was taken into custody after investigators found suspected explosive devices on the property. New at 4. Sports Illustrated has named Oklahoma City Thunder Guard, Shea Gilgis Alexander. It's 2025 sportsperson of the year. The 27-year-old who led the thunder to the team's first NBA championship is the reigning NBA most valuable player. He's also the first NBA player. He's also the first NBA player to be named Sports Illustrated sports person of the year since Warriors Guard,

Steph Curry in 2022. Additionally, he is the first Canadian to win the award outright since Wayne Gretzky back in 1982. Venus Williams receives a wildcard invite to play in the Australian Open. The seven-time Grand Slam champion is now set to become the oldest woman to play in the main draw. Williams has not played in Melbourne since 2021 and outside the United States since 2023, the Australian Open starts on January the 18th. Still ahead on Iwood News at 4 legal trouble for actor Will Smith. A violinist is suing the actor and rapper for wrongful termination and sexual harassment. We have new developments in this case. And a wallaby in New Jersey is back home after a 24-hour adventure that ended with a stairdown in a parking lot. The unlikely place the

animal was popping around it. And the Muppets are back after the break, which Pop Superstar is joining their new Disney special. This afternoon, a professional violinist suing actor Will Smith for wrongful termination and sexual harassment. Brian King Joseph was a musician on Smith's global tour last year in a lawsuit against Smith and his company. Joseph says he was wrongfully terminated after bringing to light a, quote, sexual threat of violence. made against him. Smith's attorney called the allegations false, baseless, and reckless. The new complaint follows a $3 million lawsuit filed last month by a former associate against Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, claiming she verbally threatened him. Singer Pink is putting her health

first in the new year in a social media post from a hospital bed. The singer reveals that she had surgery to get two new discs in her neck. In the post, the 46-year-old is beaming with a smile with a bandage on her neck. Well, it is a happy. Happy New Year for BTS fans, the K-pop group will return with their first album after a four-year hiatus during which the members completed or completed their mandatory military service. The new BTS album is set to be released on March the 20th. And singer Sabrina Carpenter is joining Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, and other Muppet Show characters for a brand new special. Debuting next month. It will stream on Disney Plus starting February the 4th.

The special will also be shown on ABC. Revival comes just ahead of the show's 50th anniversary this year. The original Muppet show aired from 1976 through 1981. Disney announced details of the show last month saying Carpenter will take the stage with the Muppets at the original Muppet Theater. All right, now today's top trending stories and real news first. We're all familiar with the phrase curiosity killed the cat. Well, that catchphrase almost came true when a cautious cat's new toy nearly scared him to death. Take a look as this orange cat inches towards a talking cactus toy with a little bit of caution.

He sniffs, leans in to get a little bit closer. His tails up, posture alert, fully committed to the inspection, and then the cactus moves. The cat launches out of the frame in what can only be described as a blur right there. And I guess it's safe to say that cat was not a fan of that toy. All right, a birthday celebration took a turn when an anxious dog decided it was time for cake. Oh my gosh, she was so excited. She could not wait. Not only did she eat the slice of cake,

but the candle went down as well. Dang, girl. All right, the search for New Jersey's most famous marsupial is finally over. Rex the Wallaby back home after a 24-hour adventure that ended with a stare-down in a Walmart parking lot. Rex escaped the lots of love animal sanctuary in petting zoo Monday. Since then, volunteers have been looking for Rex, and then a mom and daughter spotted him hopping through a Walmart pocking lot. Look right there.

Rex was taken into custody and is back at the animal sanctuary where they say they're going to be keeping a watchful eye on him from now on. Lex, you've got to stay put hopping around the Walmart. I get it, though. All right, that's real news. Barbara, back to you. He's out enough. Right.

He was out. I knew this hour a vast majority of people across the country have agreed to the viral phrase 6-7 should be left in 2025. That's according to Lake Superior State University's annual banish words list survey. Around 1,400 submissions came from all 50 states and a number of countries outside the U.S., including Brazil and Japan. And 6-7 was the number. That was the number one answer according to which words should be banished. according to the dictionary.com. Six-seven means so-so, or maybe this, maybe that.

Also in the top ten are demure, incentivize, perfect, and my bad. Does anybody really know what six-seven means? No. So, yeah. But they're bad for saying it and starting it and keeping it going and never stopping and always, oh, my goodness. But every kid knows what it means. It's so exhausting.

Well, maybe we can incentivize them to stop doing that. That's right. My bad. My bad. There you go. I like that. We got them all covered right there. I got a few words I'd like to take out too.

All right, let's show you what's happening out there right now. Live, look, first alert Doppler net. We're dry across our region. We hit live out to RDU. Fly it out of R2 tonight shouldn't have any problems. Cloudy skies, 57 degrees. A look at numbers from across the region. Fayetteville still holding on to the 60, 61, 51, 58 Rocky Mount,

51, Lewisburg, 53 in Roxburgh. A look at the evening ahead. Maybe you're headed for a walk tonight. Temperatures will fall through the 50s. They'll stay in the 40s, just a light jacket. We'll keep the really cold air away. Looking at precipitation chances over the next four days, and it's only tomorrow with a chance,

and that's gone down a little bit. We're getting a better idea of the track of the storm, and unfortunately it means less rain for us. Your four-day forecast at 4 o'clock. Tomorrow, scattered showers, temperatures running in the 40s. By Sunday, 51 degrees, and a little bit better weather there. It's certainly the better half of the weekend. Monday partly cloudy 52 more clouds will work in humidity goes up as we head to tuesday 63 degrees we'll stay in the 60s all the way into next weekend talk about that big warm up and check on the drought monitor coming up at 5 o'clock let's find out what else is coming up at 5 o'clock for more on that we check in with steve daniels hi don thanks very much our coverage of the breaking news continues here live at 5 we have chopper 11 flying over the moore county richmond county line as i've been telling you a guy in a stolen van led law enforcement on a chase he wound up in this field that field caught fire to long

enforcement vehicles also catching fire coming up here at five the minute by minute update as the manhunt continues for that guy on the runs driving that stolen van also new at five at Johnston County prosecutor laying out some really terrifying details in court today of a home invasion on New Year's Eve a couple injured and taken to Wake Med and now the DA is piecing together all the evidence for us also a woman on a New Year's Day hike gets attacked and killed by a mountain lion will take you to Colorado for that terrifying story and a Kane's player makes team USA he'll be headed to the Winter Olympic

in February in Italy and will help you navigate your emotional well-being here in the new year. Lauren, I'll see you for the news at five in a few minutes. All right. I'll stay right here. See you then. Thank you. Up next from musician to Motivator. We're going to introduce you to One Dora Man using his rap persona to launch his own motivational clothing brand.