tuesday night and fire forces evacuations at a montgomery county high school and a worker is shocked when his truck hits an electrical wire. but the big story on "action news" tonight is the ruling from a montgomery county judge that has caused shock waves across the united states. bill cosby will stand trial on charges of sexual assault. this was the scene as the man they called america's dad arrived for his preliminary hearing this morning at montgomery county court. this is the lone criminal case to come out of accusations from dozens of women that cosby drugs them and molested them. "action news" reporter john rawlins and chad pradelli are outside of the courthouse in norristown. john you were inside the courtroom for the entirety of the hearing. >> reporter: the defense wanted andrea constand on the stand and subject to cross-examination,

she was not required to be there. and they announced loudly that bill cosby lost his right to face his accuser. >> all charges were held and we are here because we want to seek the truth. >> the truth according to d.a. kevin steele, in 2004 bill cosby indecently assaulted andrea constand. she claims that cosby gave her pills and one and later she felt dizzy and she claimed on a couch cosby assaulted her and she was unable to speak. and his own statement was read, and he described it as cigarettesing and petting and touching of private parts. as for pills, it was one and a half tablets of benadryl, an

over the count err antihistamine. the defense says it was part of a consensual relationship that continued after the 2004 incident. >> the complainant continued to contact mr. cosby and accepted a dinner invitation from mr. cosby and returned to mr. cosby's home. >> when she moved back to canada, she telephoned mr. cosby so she and her family could go to his show in toronto. he said her statement was weak and inconsistent and incredible. >> john thank you. also there tonight, "action news" reporter, chad pradelli, needless to say chad cosby's appearance in court caused quite

a few spectators and diverse opinions. >> the court of public opinion is against bill cosby that said he has his supporters and they were out in force today. >> become walked out of court and raised his arm to supporters. for some african-americans, bill cosby will always be dr. huxtable a role model in their community a man innocent until proven guilty. >> i'm disappoints, it's so much a circus. >> every time he tried to -- you get a black guy of prestige -- you everybody wants to break him down i don't know what it is. >> but prosecutors say the evidence is overwhelming and the comedian's own statements is helping to fuel the charges he now faces. in his statement a decade ago

admitted to giving quaaludes to women to have sex with them. quaaludes are a powerful sedative. glorwhy all red represents more than two dozen of those women and was a spectator in court. >> i don't think mr. cosby was thrilled that his own interview with the police was admitted into evidence. because some of what he said could be quite damming. >> we should point out that despite the allegations, cosby has never been convicted of a sex crime but as of today he will go to trial on such a charge. chad pradelli, channel 6 "action news." >> thank you. our coverage of the cosby hearing continues at 6abc.com, you'll find more details about the case and a photo gallery of images from today's proceedings and video including uncut clips

of the entertainer's arrival which we also streamed live this morni morning. we have tragedy on the tracks tonight, a man was killed when he was run over by a septa train in center city. it happened at 13th and market streets, witnesses tell "action news" that the man in his 60s was waiting for the train when he fell on to the tracks. >> he was waiting for the train to pull in and when the train came in it was slowing down and i turned around and in the blink of an eye i heard a lady scream. >> the power is shut off in the area and septa is currently shuttle busing passengers between 30th street station and the spring garden station. fire forced an early dismissal at a high school.

firefighters were called to north penn high school at 11:30 this morning. dispatchers say the flames started in a closet and the situation went to two alarms before being brought under control. students were evacuated to the soccer field before being senhome early. school officials are still assessing the extent of the damage. no one is allowed to go back inside until the building is aired out and inspected. an industrial accident in ardmore sent a worker to the hospital this afternoon. the incident happened at 3:00 at east county line road and bittle street. the man was working in a truck that lifts try wall into buildings. the worker was shocked when part of the truck came in contact with a high tension wire. there is no word yet on the victim's condition. the driver involved in a deadly hit and run in northeast philadelphia has turned himself in. it happened at cotman and

bustleton, at 12:30 this morning. that is when they said the driver plowed into a bus stop killing 50-year-old molina, the driver ran away leaving his car behind. he is not yet charged and police believe that speed was a factor. a railroad overpass bridge rebuilt in 2011 needs another overhaul. the bridge on newport road in marshallpton, delaware needs to be raised six inches. they realized it was too short. del/dot says the repairs will cost $472,000 and the construction is set to begin mid-june and should take two months to complete. our daisy days phone bank is still working and will be working until 6:30 tonight as we partner with childrens hospital to raise money for the fight against pediatric cancer.

lets go live to sara bloomquist who is with our group devoted volunteers and some other very important people. >> reporter: including swoop jim, he is here with the number to call. 1-877-940-6222. "action news" teaming up with childrens hospital to raise money for the cancer center at chop, this is all part of daisy days, chop's month long fundraising efforts all the money this year will benefit the cancer center, the breakthroughs made at chop help the children that come here but also patients around the world. 1-877-940-6222. we have some wonderful volunteers taking your phone calls. bobby hill, he brought down the house when he sang for the pope in september. do you remember that? the eagles cheerleader as long with swoop and young cancer survivors treated at childrens hospital as well taking your

phone calls. any amount of money we'll take this evening. i want to bring in some lovely people that have quite a generous donation to give this evening. these are the nice people from kmrd, cat and barb, ladies thank you so much. $15,000, this is just amazing. fantastic, tell us why cat for your company, you are a risk management group, why this was important? >> kmrd is excited to support daisy days and support chop, and as a personal note, i have a 9-year-old son that would not be here today without chop's cancer center. all the people calling in are supporting that so thank you, they are thrilled to make this donation. >> thank you ladies, we appreciate it. i want to bring in temple head coach, grab dunfy.

thank you for being with us. we have 30 minutes left for our call-in here. what could you say to encourage them to donate to the hospital? >> that lady that has a 9-year-old and needs chop's help, all of us that are healthy need to help those that aren't and the stories that chop tells are just inspiring and that is one of them. >> it's a treasure to have here in philadelphia. >> all the work they documents and if your child gets hurt or sick you know exactly where to go. those people are awesome. >> thank you fran. the number to call, 1-877-940-6222. you can also log on to 6abc.com and get the link to donate there as well. again, another 20 minutes, call now and give us your donation. back to you jim. >> thank you. coming up on "action news"

tonight, the eagles get back to work with offseason practices, ahead how the team is fairing with doug peterson at the helm. >> some people smoking on the beach at a local level, and now the state is working to ban it statewide. i'm nora muchanic and i'll have that story coming up. i am tracking hotter weather on the way just in time for your holiday weekend, i'll have the details in the exclusive accuweather seven-day forecast. >> those stories and more when "action news" continues.

with the beach season set to get underway lawmakers in the

state are looking for legislation to make the beaches cleaner and healthier. they will working on bills to ban smoking on all new jersey beached. nora muchanic has the story. >> reporter: have you ever sat on the beach and smelled smoke on the beach from a cigarette or found an old cigarette butt in the sand. that may not happen anymore because smoking on the beaches would be banned statewide. >> the beach is not an ashtray. >> it's the largest source of litter we find on the beaches, they are not just unsightly, they are a health risk. >> governor christie vetoed it saying it went too far. this time it would exempt golf courses and allow local and county officials to set aside pieces of beach and parks. >> it makes a lot of sense.

>> proponents say that a smoking ban would keep people from breathing in secondhand smoke and clean up on litter. they picked up over 7,000 cigarettes butts just in ocean county. they would be fined up to $500 for repeated violations. >> it's annoying, i don't like smoking on the beach or even the boardwalk. >> i believe you should be able to smoke outside. i do not smoke but that is taking away too many rights. >> certain towns on lbi have banned smoking on the beach at a local level. we'll see what happens when it ends up on the governor's desk. nora muchanic, channel 6 "action news." >> thank you. here is another look, a live look at our phone bank, channel 6 is teamed up with childrens hospital daisy days charity. we are taking your calls to raise money for the fight

against pediatric cancers, you can donate at 6abc.com or call the number on your screen. 1-877-940-6222. and that phone line is open until 6:30 tonight.

philadelphia eagles back at work and doug peterson how is he doing? >> he is doing well. he has to put the work in now. this round of activities runs until thursday. building a contender starts now. we'll all be dissecting bradford and wentz's every throw. everybody is in the same boat, they must learn the new offense. >> football is football, you know, like i said, the biggest thing is last year we did things all the time regular nfl offense, two man drill the whole

game and slowed down and people will get ahold of it. >> he is joking we believe. >> doug peterson is beginning his first season as a head coach. he went over his players and coaching staff, the trips of peterson sounds like a 180 from chip kelly. >> he doesn't have an ego and is open minded and the same thing goes with players, he talks to players all the time and getting their input on things. i don't think that is all important, he will make his own decisions, he is his own man and has to find his own way. the phillies will try their luck with the tigers. the phillies remain two games back of first place washington. the phillies lost in detroit. it was not herreras best moment, he grounded out and then pete

mack cannon brenched him. >> one man that has not been benched was ryan howard he is 0 for his last 18. villanova's basketball team trip to the white house is now on the calendar. the field for the belmont stakes got thinner, nyquist is out, the kentucky derby winner is out. he has a high white blood count. and will not be able to train for next week's race. and rafael nadal owns the clay, and one of the most creative shots you'll see. nadal facing sam groff and the ball goes long no problem, nadal goes through his legs for the winner. he wins easily in straight sets

6-1. 6-1. >> are you not impressed? >> i have seen federer do it a half dozen times.

we made the shift into warmer weather and it happened today. >> we got into the 80s first time this month and we'll keep climbing probably up to 90 on friday. i think it will get too hot too soon for a lot of people. >> sticky. >> yes, exactly. most of the region is rain free, and we have an isolated thunderstorm right on the border of ocean and monmouth county, but elsewhere dealing with a

mixture of clouds and sunshine and we did it today. made it up to 83 degrees, the first time this month of 80 degree weather, and the sixth time this year. temperatures continue to climb future tracker 6 showing friday afternoon we are looking at a lot of areas right around 90, the heat-up will continue right up to the holiday weekend, suddenly it feels like summer, right now 82 in philadelphia, the same in reading and allentown 83 and wilmington 82 and you head closer to the ocean, the ocean temperature is chilly 59 degrees, that has an impact on the air temperature. cape may 66 degrees. satellite 6 along with action radar showing the pesky upper level low, the clouds today that is finally pulling off the coast of new england. we have this, high pressure, a bermuda high pressure this provides us that heat pump as we head through the week. tonight down to 60 in philadelphia and 52 in the

suburbs and tomorrow at heat is on, it climbs up even a little higher than today. 86 in philadelphia, and 87 in allentown and 85 in wilmington and 77 at the boardwalk in atlantic city. lots of sunshine and humidity levels should be in check tomorrow. it's pretty comfortable, tomorrow is the first ozone action day of the year. that means that ground level ozone will be high, this is uncomfortable for sensitive groups and for the very young or someone that has asthma, or a heart condition, limit your outside activities with the ground level ozone. heading into the weekend, this could be a fly in the ointment for the southeast coast. this is unsettled weather in the southern bahamas, a stalled frontal boundary but has a chance of developing into tropical storm bonnie, the ocean temperatures are warm and not a lot of high winds and the hurricane center is giving it a

30% chance of developing, even if it does not become a main tropical system it likely will be drifting towards florida and the carolinas, if you head there this weekend you could be dealing with rain and wind and high surf. i'll keep you posted on that. the exclusive accuweather seven-day forecast sunny and warm tomorrow 86 degrees and thursday more humid and 88 and friday hitting 90 and thursday and friday a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, we keep the chance through the weekend, saturday 88 degrees on the muggy side and on sunday, 85 and then a front slips through. and that will bring us an easterly wind on memorial day. that is much cooler, the high of 76, still a chance of a pop-up shower and clouds mixing with sun and a high of 76 degrees so starting off hot and cooling off by memorial day. >> thank you cecily. abc world news with david muir is next on channel 6. "action news" continues at 10:00 on phl 17 with brian taff and sharrie williams and ducis

rogers, and please join us for a special report here at 11:00 on channel 6. coming up at 11:00 a startup company could be a win win situation for businesses and working moms. here is nydia han with a preview. >> reporter: this could revolutionize the way we work, a simple but brilliant startup that could give all parents the ability and flexibility to remain in their careers but take all the time they want for their families, how it works and how you can get involved. on "action news" at 11:00. for cecily tynan, ducis rogers and the entire "action news" team, i'm jim gardner. we hope you'll join us at 11:00.

tonight, the bill cosby bombshell. the judge says the first criminal trial will now move forward. the accuser says he told her to drink wine and take herbal medication before the alleged assault. his defense attorney shouting in court. the threats onboard today. two passenger jets, one of them escorted by f-16s, s.w.a.t. teams racing onboard, when the plane lands. breaking news. the deadly collision with an amtrak train. we have late details coming in. the tornado watch in effect as we come on tonight. several reported tornadoes already. storms from texas to minnesota. and the big change coming for the memorial day weekend. the race for 2016. hillary clinton fights back tonight, after donald trump's attacks against her husband. and this evening, new reports the clinton team has reached out to dallas mavericks owner