Violent crime on metro has prompted Transit Police to step up patrols all over the subway system. Today at lenfant plaza, a show of presence as transit officers board trains, check them off, and get off again. The step on, step off program is about security and a sense of r reassurance for officers. They will step on, make sure everything is okay, check with passengers to confirm that, and then step off. Reporter it will take some time to see whether policies like this deter crime on the system. Its up slilly this year over the same time last year. Now, stay away orders are nothing new to metro, but this is the first time theyve gotten them against juveniles and it will be in place at least until these kids go to trial in april. Now, coming up later on news4, we will talk to people about how they feel about the stepped up presence of metro Police Stepping on and then stepping back off the trains. Were live in lenfant plaza, derrick word, news4. Chopper4 just arrived over the scene of a very violent accident. Check out the live pictures. This is on route 1. This accident has closed the main lanes of route 1 at buckman road. At least five cars are involved in this accident. They are trying to move some moving vehicles around on a shoulder. It looks like all the lanes are closed right now, but at least five cars. Dont know the extent of injuries at this hour. We are following this from chopper4 and on the ground too. Stay with us for updates. The man who shot and killed his cousin before he barricaded himself into a home for more than 24 hours is going to spend the next 18 years in prison. Roosevelt robinson pled guilty earlier this year. He killed his cousin over a dispute over a piece of jewelry. He barricaded himself for 30 hours before officers to the father he deserved more than that. I just feel hurt. [ bleep ]. They supported a pervert. Thats the dad of one of the teenage girls assaulted by a former d. C. Police officer shouting after sentencing today. That officer will spend 18 years in prison. One girl was assaulted inside Police Headquarters. The other inside a church where he also served as pastor. News4s Mark Segraves was in that courtroom where the father had to be escorted out by security. Reporter outside the courthouse today, angry words from a man who says his daughter was one of the victims. Aint enough time. He deserved more than that. Reporter as the judge handed down the 18year sentence today, the man stood up and began yelling and cursing saying darrell best should die in prison. Courtmartials forced him out of the courthouse. Best cried as he apologized to the court today, but judge Reggie Walton was unsympathetic saying, i have a hard time as a father of a daughter, how a man who professes to be a man of god can do what you did. More than 40 members of bests church were in court supporting their former pastor today. One of the victims sisters told the judge, there are no apologies or any sentence that can ease the pain. Beps pl best pled guilty to sexually assaulting a teen girl inside Police Headquarters just down the hall it from the chief of Police Office and assaulting a second teenager inside his church. Best also pled guilty to child pornography for pictures of the girls found on his phone. As he sentenced best, judge walton said, i have concerns to what extent he poses a danger to young girls when he gets out. In addition to the 18year sentence, best will have to register as a sex hes out of prison and will be restricted from ever being around minors. Coming up at 6 00, the penalty the judge wanted to impose and why the former Police Officer didnt get a tougher sentence. At u. S. District court, Mark Segraves, news4. He thinks the government and he is going to make america great. What i know is america is already great because of the American People. You need a strong, tough leader to restore americas greatness, and this is the best person to do that. What a difference a few months can make. This afternoon a surprise endorsement for donald trump from his former rival new jersey governor Chris Christie. News4s Chris Lawrence is here with that and reaction from trumps main challenger from last nights debate. Like they say, its not personal, its politics. Donald trump says hes got a lot of endorsements coming in, but happy about, and Chris Christie says he believes in a potential headtohead he thinks trump has the best chance against Hillary Clinton. Now, the pair caught a lot of people by surprise making this endorsement before they appeared before a huge boisterous crowd at a rally in if the worth, texas. Christie says he thinks trump is the best person to get the country back on track citing his experience as an executive. Senator marco rubio, who went after trumps in last nights debate, thinks the endorsement it didnt surprise him. Chris is an articulate guy. Donald probably leads a lifeline after last night so he called in Chris Christie. I respect that. I have more than my fair share of endorsements. What im doing is endorsing the person i believe is the best person to defeat Hillary Clinton and restore american jobs, restore american prestige around the world, and restore the faith and confidence of the American People again in the fact that we are an exceptional and great nation. And when he was asked about being a potential running mate christie said he plans to finish his term of governor which runs through january of 2018, but trump added, quote, but he does have talent. Jim, wendy . Chris lawrence. And we have learned that donald trump made donations to the campaigns of two u. S. House members from our area, virginia congressman Barbara Comstock and maryland congressman andy harris. According to federal Election Commission filings, both received 1,000 from trump. It was in 2014 for comstock and harris reelection campaigns. And im david culver in haymarket, virginia, continuing our Team Coverage of decision 2016. We came here because with all the heated rhetoric weve been hearing in the debate thus far, we wondered how are virginia voters really taking this all in. What do they care about and, well, what is having an haymarket and Prince William county and we share that with you ahead on news4 at 5 00. Today a major decision on that proposed controversial merger between pepco and energy giant exelon. Regulators voted 2to1 to allow the merger to go forward, but as tom sherwood tells us now, there are some conditions. Tom . Jim, it is a historic decision, and those conditions are not seen as that serious. An audience packed the d. C. Public Service Commission downtown. For two years pepco and energy giant exelon have fought for the psc to approve their 6. 8 billion merger often against loud opposition. At first critics of the deal were delighted when the psc today appeared to block the merger for a second time in six months. The motion is carried. Reporter commissioner surprised the audience moving to approve the deal with modest changes for Community Benefits and solar power. Please indicate by stating yes. Yes. Chair notes no. Only Betty Ann Kane voted no. Power Company Executives say the deal will hold down rates for several years and allow better management of pepco but they stopped short of claiming victory today. They have two weeks to accept the new conditions. We need to study the order more closely and once weve had a chance to digest the new conditions that were put in place, well have more to say about it. Reporter but on the wamu radio politics hour, merger critic mary che flatly said opponents had lost. This was a great loss. Reporter mayor Muriel Bowser who supported the recent deal ruling. Under the merger there should be no rate increases for about three years. This has been a long, tough fight, and now its essentially over. Wow. All right. Big news today. Tom, thank you. Well learn more in the coming weeks and months about how the rate payers will be effected going forward. I know we havent heard the last of this. No, this is a whole new world for pepco. Cant wait for the bill. Thank you, tom. We have a developing story this evening. Right now there are nine confirmed cases of the zika virus in protect women in the u. S. The centers for Disease Control says all of the women were infected overseas. Three of the babies have been born, one has a brain defect. Two of the women had an abortion. Two had miscarriages. The cdc is also looking to confirm whether ten other pregnant women in the United States also have the zika virus. Virginia Governor Terry mcauliffe Just Announced a new task force to help stop zika. It will be led by the virginia virginia municipalities on mosquito surveillance and control. The goal is to have a plan in place before the start of mosquito season, may 1st. Nice and sunny. Its chilly, but as long as that sun shines, were good. And the wind, only when the wind blow that is it feels really cold. Much better this weekend though. See you this afternoon. Thats chief meteorologist all righty. There goes the selfie stick. Like i said, until the wind blows, youre fine. And then yeah, youve recovered. Yeah, he did. Hey, doug, youre in the storm center. How windy did it get out there today . Weve seen winds gusting to 40 miles an hour this afternoon, and, you know, i was out there as i was walking from my car into work, it really wasnt all that bad. The wind wasnt blowing too bad and with the sunshine, even though temperatures are cold, it didnt feel that cold, but as soon as that wind blows, man, it changes things. Temperature at 38 degrees right those are the temperatures. Take a look at the current wind gusts currently. 31 miles an hour in d. C. 22 in fredericksburg. 24 in leesburg. These will calm during the evening hours but the windchills are already in the 20s. So its going to be a very cold night tonight. One more chilly night but a much nicer weekend setting up, and then winter not over yet. Were going to get into the 60s, but then possible more winter coming up. Ill show you when and in my full forecast, guys. Thanks so much. Newly released dashcam video has local police sounding off. One of their own is hit by a drunk driver and the accident happened after the suspect had already been convicted. And its an election website war. Why some Chris Van Hollen supporters are being steered toward his competitor. New controversy tonight in the tight race for u. S. Senate in maryland. A live picture from chopper4. At least five people have been injured. This accident has closed the road there, and it looks like all of the lanes are closed. Were following this story. Well have much more after the break. The president ial hopefuls eyeing battleground virginia as super tuesday looms large and near, folks, but what are voters thinking tonight . David culver caught up with some in haymarket today. Reporter amidst the grind of coffee and the consumption of sweet treats, welcome to haymark haymarkets cupcake heaven and cafe. A surge of sugar needed these days to coat the often bitter back and forth of the campaigns. Theyre not so much putting their own opinions out there but more so saying your opinion is wrong and my opinion is right. Its the shame for our country to have, you know, people naming one another in such way and so mean. I dont believe the candidates are really talking about the issues. I believe theyre just fighting right now. Reporter anita kane says she watches the debates hoping for next door inside the fashion forward salon, we met a rather frustrated diane gray. Shes yet to hear the candidates take on the issues shes most focused on. Education is a big one for me, and i havent heard any talk really about education. Immigration is important to me. Reporter and just across the street that bears the first president s name we met chuck graves inside giuseppes italian restaurant. I dont waste a second of my time watching the debates because i dont think they really matter. Reporter still he like everyone we spoke with planning to cast a ballot on super tuesday and again in november. Now you have got an iea of how voters are perceiving this Campaign Season thus far. Coming up on news4 at 6 00, you will hear who some of them are leaning towards if they had to vote for president today and why in some cases theyre crossing party lines. In haymarket, david culver, news4. And were keeping track of both parties here to virginia in our nbc washington app. Open it up and search candidate tracker to find out where you can see the candidates. Well, virginia would defy the pollsters if the vote of some of the states newest voters holds true. Students at Broad Run High School held a mock election as part of loudoun countys effort to register students who are eligible to vote. Across the county, more than 2,100 students registered to become new voters. Keeping up a lot with the elections, and everyone is just super excited. A lot of times our government teacher mr. Ahern, he has to kind of quiet us down after talking about it because everyone is just really excited to get out there and to vote and to have the our voice be heard. So who won the student mock election . Bernie sanders and marco rubio. Well a website domain is stirring up some controversy tonight in the tight race for u. S. Senate in maryland. Typing in Chris Van Hollen. Org will not take you to the instead, it redirects to you congresswoman Donna EdwardsCampaign Site. Her campaign tells the capitol gazette it has no connection to the redirect. A spokesman for the Van Hollen Campaign says its confident misleading voters with these kind of tactics only reinforces van hollens Campaign Site is van hollen. Org. Listen up, this is your chance to save some money if youre looking for a new car. We have the list of which ones will be the least expensive to insure. Plus, a sex assault in mt. Vernon and the suspect is still out there, but police just released new information and it could lead to an arrest. And doug is already tracking our next chance of a possible storm and your weekend weather is all in his full forecast next on news4 at 5 00. And developing right n an irs investigation into a Security Breach we reported last may is much larger. Investigators just wrapped up a ninemonthlong investigation which reveals nearly 400,000 additional taxpayers accounts may have been compromised. Were talking about the irs transcript application. The investigation found potential access to taxpayers accounts occurred as far back as the apps initial launch. The period of january 2014 through may 2015. The irs says it is working right now to notify people affected by mail and those taxpayers who will receive free Identity Theft protection. At the li desk, susan hogan, ve you like being picture perfect. You should want your banking to be too. Stop into td bank and well help set you up with picture perfect banking. New customers, open a checking and savings account and you can get a polaroid cube video camera on the spot. Your husband wants to stay free from artificial ingredients. You want to stay free from artificial preservatives. And your debit card wants to stay on a diet. Fill your cart with Small Victories like giants natures promise brand. Great prices on over 800 items. Eat well for less. Only at my giant. It has been a cold day across our region. High temperatures only in the upper 30s to around 40 degrees. Windchills in the 20s all day. Take a look at this shot right here. Pretty nice looking shot. Again inside out, if youre lo too bad. One thing you dont notice there is the wind and the cold air, two things of note here, here is nats park. The in accordancnats at spring. And over here fedexfield. So you have both of them in line with each other. Fed ex, of course, talking kirk cousins, maybe a tag coming down today. Here i am doing sports again. Im sorry, carol, im sorry, jason. I apologize. My fault. 38 degrees, sunshine across the area. 36 by 7 00 dropping to about 32 degrees by 11 00. Its going to be a cold night. If youre going out on friday night, dress warm for sure. Look at the windchills. 27 in frederick. Look at winchester, down to 21. 26 down towards the south around the warrenton area, around gainesville and fauquier county. Upper marlboro, waldorf and laplata, its cold everywhere. Thats the way its going to be this evening. The wind will calm as the sun goes down, but temperatures 30 20s. So bundle up for sure. No rain, no snow to talk about. Thats not going to be the case. We did see a lot of snow the last couple days over towards snowshoe in West Virginia. That persistent northwest flow brought them 14 inches of new snow. Yeah, you think thats going to be a good place to go skiing this weekend . You betcha. Continue to see the cold. Thats why we have the cloud cover here. But the cold will slowly shift out to sea and behind it weve got a very nice weekend. Tonight it is cold. 29 d. C. , 25 gaithersburg, 25 down to the south. Now, again, this is the temperature, not the windchill. So starting off tomorrow morning will be quite chilly. But this weekend looking good. Exercise, no problem. I made these all green earlier. They should all be green. Theres no red here at all. They should all be green. Hiking, biking, warmer on sunday. Skating, ice skating, perfect for this. It will be a perfect weekend. I think veronica got in the system and messed that up. No, i didnt. I saw you. 46 degrees on your saturday. 60 degrees coming up on plenty of sunshine there. Look at the nice temperatures sunday, monday, and tuesday. Speaking of veronica, she may or