Byard has been found not guilty in a felony perjury trial related to a pair of sexual assaults at separate schools by the same student. W .T .O .P. Scott Yellen has our report tonight. Byard was accused of lying under oath before a grand jury. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miaras impaneled that grand jury to investigate how the county handled a pair of in -school sexual assaults by the same student in 2021. Byard was placed on unpaid leave in December and the school system says no personnel decisions regarding Byard have been made. But he tells NBC4 that he's not thinking about the future. Really tonight, we're gonna go to a family birthday party. I'm gonna watch the Yankees. gonna I'm chill out tomorrow and then we'll start thinking the future. This experience has taught me don't plan any further than tomorrow. In a statement, a spokeswoman for Miaras tells WTOP, quote, while we are disappointed with the jury's decision, we're proud of our for team uncovering the truth and providing answers to concerned Virginia parents. Scott Gelman, WTOP News. For decades, the U .S. Navy has been testing weapons along the Potomac, now two environmental groups are suing. There's a stretch of the Potomac River south of the Haringeyes Bridge where the U .S. Navy's Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren, Virginia, carries out weapons testing. We know that watermen are pulling these projectiles out of the river when they're out there, you know, harvesting oysters or pulling crabs up. Dean Nyox is with the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, one of two groups suing the Navy. Nyox says the suit filed in federal court is not trying to stop the testing, but to require the Navy to get a permit. Like every other entity is required to do to charge into the Potomac River waters of the United States. A Navy spokesperson responded to WTOP's questions with a statement saying the Department of the Navy does not comment on ongoing litigation. Kate Ryan, WTOP News. Well, how about this for solving climate change using poop for power? WSSC Water and Montgomery County have reached a five -year deal to turn that waste into natural gas to power the county's ride on buses. The new Piscataway Bioenergy Facility captures methane gas using the wastewater treatment process to be upgraded to renewable natural gas and sold to Montgomery County to power the ride on buses. The whole deal is expected to generate seven hundred thousand dollars a year in revenue for WSSC Water while reducing the utility's greenhouse gas emissions. A warning for you now behind the wheel from local law enforcement or when you park your car at night or anytime, car thefts are very on much the rise. In DC they're up 118 % over the last year and in Montgomery County. We've seen a significant increase in water number of thefts. Stolen car cases are up 84 % with the thefts. Assistant Chief Nicholas Augustine with Montgomery County Police says majority is younger adults or teenagers. TikTok challenges are behind a lot of the cases downtown such as Wheaton and Silver Springer hotspots. In the county a specialty auto theft unit which was cut out of the budget in 2021 is back to focus on the issue. The number one way to stop thieves lock your car in case it is stolen. Consider getting something like an Apple AirTag or a tile device to have in your vehicle. To track it and know your license plate number when you call police. Mike Murillo WTOP news. You can blame a warmer winter on southern ticks migrating north but it's not the only reason experts say you need to be careful out and about this summer. Within that first 24 or hours when you get home. Do that inspection. University of Maryland professor Mike Raup says spotting a tick may be more common this year since a wet mild winter created the perfect climate for them to thrive. He also says small animals like mice, birds, skunk and raccoons that ticks cling to survive the winter in greater numbers. small These mammals are what we call the reservoirs for the agents that cause disease. He says you should wear protective clothing tucked in if exploring in the woods. Also check yourself and don't forget get that spray. For personal protection DEET is the gold standard for repellents. Kofax, Matt WTOP News. Now to Adnan Syed. Name may sound very familiar to you. His long legal battle chronicled was in the first season of the hit podcast serial. Syed is asking Maryland's highest court deny to a petition to expand the rights of crime victims after they've been convicted. Syed was convicted of murder about 23 years ago in the killing of his high school ex -girlfriend in Baltimore. He went to prison for more than two decades. He regained his freedom last year after prosecutors found flaws in the evidence presented at trial and a judge agreed to vacate the conviction, but surviving relatives of the victim, Hae Min Lee, appealed the ruling arguing they did not get enough notice to attend the hearing that set Syed free. He does remain free for now. There's still a chance he may be locked up again. Still ahead here on WTOP, who is going back to the office faster, men or women, 908 on WTOP. Get a precision AC tune -up for only Michael Hansen. Traffic and weather on the eights and when it breaks. We're going to Bob Imler in the WTOP traffic center. And Maryland be alert on the inner loop of the beltway getting onto 95 North and College Park believe we may have an incident possibly a crash on the ramp from the inner loop to go north on 95 seems to happen a lot in the rain on 95 itself you are good to go Baltimore Washington Parkway is pretty quiet and Traffic on 270 also running without delay 50 out of the Bay Bridge that runs well and beltway for the most part good is in shape pretty in the third Street tunnel northbound as you come off of 395 North continuing on 395 toward New York Avenue believe it's going to be a work zone headed toward Massachusetts Avenue down to a single lane there the rain won't affect that in the tunnel in Virginia 395 and 95 each running without delay and all's quiet on 66 both and inside outside the beltway and back in the district North Capitol at P Street still working on a crash at that intersection just imagine new teeth in 24 hours it's possible with G4 by Gulpa and the Gulpa vision and plant dentistry technology schedule your consultation today at G4 by Gulpa .com Bob Inler KTLP traffic and now to Steve Rudin he is seven news first alert meteorologist will be through the remainder of the evening hours into and the overnight tracking scattered showers perhaps a few thunderstorms across extreme southern Maryland and the