officer dennis gera was overcome with smoke when he and his partner, rosa rodriguez, came out of the elevator to respond to the fire. rodriguez is expected to take the stand on monday. >>> a bronx woman speaking out about the arrest of the man accused of beating her. 63-year-old judy perezas facial lacerations and bad bruises after being attacked. 49-year-old bradley kicked and beat perez as they both got off an elevator on monday. he said something about hagt white people, but police are not investigating this as a bias crime. >> the man behind me, he turned on me and then rushed. backed away, he is bleeding my face. >> reporter: >> bradley was in court today and tonight is behind bars. >>> a clerk fended off two would-be robbers. you see two suspects walk into beachside market with masks covering their faces. the quick-thinking clerk seen there grabs a gun and fires off a few rounds at the crooks. well, they ran off empty handed. so far no arrests have been made. >>> the popularity of ride-hailing services are growing in new york city, and so are the accidents. new data released by

one of those officers, rosa rodriguez, is expected to take the stand this morning. rodriguez was critically injured in that high-rise fire two years ago on coney island. guerrero, responded to that fire taking the elevator up the stairspto try and get people out of the building. but they were overcome by smoke when the doors opened. guerrero who was a seven-year vet of the nypd died from his injuries three days later. investigators ruled that fire to be arson and charged marcell dockery with arson and reckless endangerment. he allegedly set a mattress on fire, but his attorneys say hat confession was coerced. inned 5 in addition to the police officer, we will hear from the firefighters and fire marshal. back to you. >>> in 2013, avonte oquendo who had autism ran away from his found dead months later. avontes law is moving forward in congress it would put gps tracking bracelets on students with autism. >> if everyone who had autism had one of these bracelets or a device sewn into their clothes, when they ndered we could find them right away and could prevent the death

setting fire to a mattress inside this apartment building two years ago when garo and partner rosa rodriguez arrived, they were overwhelmed by smoke. dockry was upset, became more animated, saying his cousin wouldn't snitch on him. he set the fire. he said i started the fire and continued on that he was bored. the defense counters police badgered the team and coerced a confession and plenty of reasonable doubt exists tooz wh he actually did it. prosecutors relied on the emotion of surviving officer rodriguez who took the stand, her voice barely a whisper. she recalled their final moments in the smokey hallway. >> which dunt? >> housing portable. >> what floor are you on? 14. >> reporter: one more heart wrenching detail. officer rodriguez, 37 years old at the time of the fire, a doctor testified today that after the fire she had the lungs of a 100-year-old. live outside of court in downtown brooklyn, andrew siff news4 new york. >>> tonight the water scare in new jersey is expanding. lead has been found in the water in more schools. says the water fountains have been shut down after voluntary

rosa rodriguez and her partner dennis guerra on the elevator in an apartment in coney island. happened april 2014. rodriguez describing being choked by thick smoke when the elevator doors opened. >>> police on long island are trying to figure out who is. a bullet got lodged in the front window. bullet flew through her neighbor's car window. their 8-year-old son was sleeping in the back seat. >> family came home from a party and they were unloading the car. and the husband went to place everything else. the child was sleeping. before he actually came by, that's when shots were fired. someone who was visiting her house. >>> now to vote 2016. they're calling it the [ inaudible ] primary. a chunk of amtrak's northeast corridor from connecticut to northeast pennsylvania. polls show it could be a big day for hillary clinton and donald trump. both leading in the northeastern states. ahead of those primaries, what looked like a move today by ted cruz and john kasich to sort of maybe kind of join forces to not divide their votes and hurt trump's chances of securing the nomination. but

rosa rodriguez took the stand, talking in a whisper, coughing at times. to a fire. both were overcome with smoke as they stepped off the elevator. authorities say 16-year-old marcel dockery told them he set the fire to a mattress because he was bored. his lawyers are expected to say that confession was coerced. >>> race for president, ted cruz and john kasich teamed up in front-runner donald trump. john kasich says he'll get out of the way and give ted cruz a clear path to indiana and in return, cruz will clear the path for kasich in oreon and new mexico during the primaries. trump called this move both weak and desperate. indiana's primary isn't for another week, but that's wt here cruz is spending his day campaigning. kasich started his day with breakfast at a diner in pennsylvania, talking to reporters. pennsylvania won of five states voting tomorrow. he addressed the new strategy and said it is really no big deal. >> i don't see this as any big deal. other than the fact that i'm not going to spend resources in indiana, he's not going to spend them in other place

2014 that killed nypd housing officer dennis guerra and seriously injured his partner officer rosa rodriguez. >> i lit the edge of the mattress. >> how? >> with a lighter. i set it on fire a little bit, i thought i could have sworn i blew it out. went just like this. [ blowing ] >> reporter: that's dockery in a 2014 videotaped statement to cops and prosecutors admitting to setting the fire but saying after lighting the mat treasures he tried to put it out -- the mat tress, he tried to put it out and then started knocking on doors telling residents to get out. later he went to mcdonald's and then heard the police were looking for him. admittedly terrified about what he had done. >> it was like got so big, so quick, i was scared to tell, 'em like, you know, i started this so something like i was just like nervous in my heart. >> reporter: prosecutors later showed surveillance video of him with friends sparking what they believe is the lighter he as the dockery interview played, the family of officer guerra and officer rodriguez herself watched without expression from the courtroom showing no e

surveillance video shows guerra as his partner, rosa rodriguez, in an elevator in a coney island apartment building. rodriguez describing being choked by thick smoke when the elevator doors opened. >>> now to vote 2016. and a bizarre endorsement for donald trump from former basketball coach bobby knight who says trump, quoting now, isn't afraid to drop the bomb. trump tonight at a rally in southern california speaking at the orange county fairgrounds in costa mesa. outside sheriff's deputies on horseback forming a barrier between trump supporters and trump protesters. meanwhile ted cruz defending words from former house speaker john boehner who called cruz, quoting now, lucifer in the flesh, and the most miserable person he's ever worked with. cruz responded by saying boehner, who's friends with donald trump, is letting his inner trump come out. >>> hillary clinton's campaign revealing a new video attacking trump. she's focusing on the gop frontrunner, not on bernie sanders. this after her dominating performance in tuesday's five-state primary. but sanders insisting his primary fight is no

officer rosa rodriguez relived the horrifying moments when she lost her partner, dennis guerra, back in 2014. guerra's family was in tears as the courtroom was shown surveillance video showing the officers overcome by thick black smoke. prosecutors say 18-year-old marcell dockery started the fire, he could face 25 years to life in prison. >>> campaign 2016, donald trump doubling down on ted cruz and john kasich, now that they've double teamed him. >> it shows such total weakness and it's pathetic. politicians, establishment guys whether you like it or not, together. >> cruz and kasich unveiled a plan last night to divvy up tomorrow. their goal? to force a brokered convention. >> is this collusion? >> no. i don't even know -- does he know what that means? >> i don't doubt that donald trump is going to scream and yell and curse and insult. and probably cry and whine some as well. >> states in the northeast vote tomorrow, trump is favored to win all of them with ease. the races between clinton and bernie sanders though appeared to be closer. >>> the manhattan d.a. confirms an investigat

surveillance video presented as evidence shows rosa rodriguez the elevator in a coney island apartment building. they described being choked by thick smoke when the elevator doors open. marcel dockery is accused of setting a mattress on fire. >>> a wake tomorrow for the second grader whose sudden death over the weekend has left a community in our area in mourning and elementary school parents worried. no official cause of death yet. 7-year-old lily love. westchester county health officials trying to calm nervous parents. students at greenville and eastchester say love's death is an isolated event and no signs of risk to other students exist. >>> new york city hoping new equipment will help solve snow removal problems. we learned tonight the de blasio administrator wants to buy snow plows specifically for narrow streets that are hard to clear after storms. it's budgeting $21 million for smaller plows and other equipment. >>> lee goldberg is tracking >> we've clouded over right now but streets are dry for the time being. our temperature is at 58 degrees right now. watching thunderstorms

. >> reporter: it is expected be an emotional day in court when rosa rodriguez takes the stand. when she testifies she will be face-to-face with a teenage by to charged with death of her partner. officer rodriguez was critically injured herself two years ago while she and her partner responded to a fire at an apartment building on surf avenue in coney island. both of them took an elevator to evacuate that building but were overcome by smoke when the doors opened. officer guerrero died from his injuries. investigators ruled that fire to be arson and charged 16-year-old reckless ep ndangerment. he allegedly set a mattress on fire. already three witnesses have taken the stand, in addition to officer rodriguez we're expected to hear from a firefighter as well as the fire marshal in the case. back to you. >> trace y stray ie strahan, thank you. >>> 32-year-old lizette fermango was found guilty in a nonjury trial for killing her children. she faces up to 50 years behind bars. >>> a new jersey mayor's sudden death sending shockwaves through the political community. lizette parker was th

video from the same elevator shows the officers dennis guerra and rosa rodriguez overcome with smoke. >> send for help. >> which unit? >> housing portable. >> what floor are you on? >> 14. 14. >> 14th floo >> the two officers were in fact both found unresponsive. ofsificer guerra later died. rodriguez spent weeks in a coma and now has permanent lung damage. >>> new england patriots star quarterback tom brady has to serve that four-game suspension. this is the ruling now from a federal appeals court that all stems back to the deflate football scandal january of last year. it was a split decision but the judges did side with nfl commissioner roger goodell saying he acted within his authority as commissioner. the court did not rule as to whether brady took part in the scheme h self to deflate the footballs. >>> in news 4 your health, a group of researchers are raising concerns on a popular baby food. they say babies who eat rice cereals have higher levels of arsenic in their system. the study from dartmouth college is based on test results from 700 babies. many parents rely on rice produ

. >> reporter: rosa rodriguez, the surviving officer of the fatal housing officer in 2014 that took the life of dennis guerra and left rodriguez seriously injuries injury -- injured was in court in the the case because he w as allegedly boarded. - - b o r e d . rodriguez testified saying she and guerra responded to the building, trying to help and then entered the elevator and was overcome by thick, black smoke when the elevator door opens. >> can't breathe, can't breathe report in respect a voice barely above a whisper, her lungs damaged from the soot and blaze, rodriguez describes the scene. >> i remember holding on to guerra's shoulders. i didn't want to lose him. >> reporter: the fire took the of well of officer guerra.

rosa rodriguez was injured. dockery turned down a plea deal to spend 22 years behind bars. if convicted, he faces up to life in prison. >>> loretta lynch announcing a new policy to help. lynch is calling on states to make it easier to increase accessibility to state identification for ex-inmates. and programs to make inmates >>> president obama announced he is sending another 250 special operations troops to syria, to advice and assist syrian forced around raqqa. he has been there>> reporter: mayor de blasio meeting with key european leaders stressing unity in difficult times. >>> you are never more than seven minutes away from weather and traffic and bill. >> good morning, everybody. looking from our camera down south all the way down to the statue of liberty and one wormed trade, staten island in the distance. way off is sandy hook, new jersey. here we go, temperatures are starting out rather mild. a little moisture out there. 53 degrees. haze, 54 by 8:00. 65 degrees at noontime and 71 will be the high today. a great day today at the bus stop. cool in the suburbs. after s

. >> reporter: as rosa rodriguez and her partner dennis huerra took the floor they were overcome by thick smoke when the >> can't breathe. >> reporter: they immediately radioed for help. we were able to walk in the hallway but couldn't breathe well. dockery is accused of setting a mattress fire and now on trial for murder, arson, and assault. >> it's a difficult day for every new york city police officer in that courtroom. >> reporter: the officers in the thick choking smoke tried to find the emergency exit. i was holding on to him because i couldn't see. we were calling for help. then officer guerra's haunting last words on a radio transmission. 85. 85. the last call for help. >> this family had to sit there and watch the last steps of their son. a police officer partner had to watch that video as they search for her partner. her voice barely a whisper. >> reporter: firefighters rescue the pair from the upper floor as seen in this security video bringing them to the lobby. injuries. officer rodriguez toufd i -- testified i can't breathe well. i can't walk long distances. i can't play wit

his partner officer rosa rodriguez who testified yesterday was seriously injured. >>> mayor bill de blasio presenting his 2017 budget. the spending plan totals $82 billion and comes with a host of new initiatives. among them, $21 million for new snow plows that can better navigate narrow streets and $70 million to build a new police precinct in southeastern queens. communities in laurelton, rosedale. it would relieve pressure on the sprawling 105th precinct. >> for decades there's been a desire to create a new precinct to allow for faster and better response in the neighborhood so we'll be investing $70 million to build a new police precinct in southeast the mayor talked about healthcare for new yorkers. he wants to set aside $5 million to pay for more ambulance crews on the job so we can speed up response times. and $2 billion for the city's health and hospital program. >>> voters in connecticut have three hours to head to the polls for the primary. they're among voters in five states where primaries are being held today. tim fleischer is live in norwalk tonight. >> connecticut voters, es

2014 that killed nypd housing officer dennis guerra and seriously injured his partner officer rosa rodriguez. >> i lit the edge of the mattress. >> how? >> with a lighter. i set it on fire a little bit, i thought i could have sworn i blew it out. went just like this. [ blowing ] >> reporter: that's dockery in a 2014 videotaped statement to cops and prosecutors admitting to setting the fire but saying after lighting the mat treasures he tried to put it out -- the mat tress, he tried to put it out and then started knocking on doors telling residents to get out. later he went to mcdonald's and then heard the police were looking for him. admittedly terrified about what he had done. >> it was like got so big, so quick, i was scared to tell, 'em like, you know, i started this so something like i was just like nervous in my heart. >> reporter: prosecutors later showed surveillance video of him with friends sparking what they believe is the lighter he

video shows gerrary a and his partner, rosa rodriguez in an elevator in a coney island apartment building. rodriguez was injured but survive. >>> mayor de blasio is dodging questions about the latest fundraising scandal. the mayor said subpoenas issued to key members of his staff are not going to be a problem. de blasio says his people have worked with, in his words, the highest level of integrity and that everything they've done is legal and appropriate. mayor de blasio says the city's campaign to help the homeless is paying off. a new survey shows the number of homeless people living on the streets has declined by 12%. that's still about 2,800 it's down from last year, and 36% lower than it was a decade ago. the study also found a 20% decrease in homeless people in the subway system. that is the first decrease we've seen in seven years. >>> well, a possible terrorist hit list naming thousands of people from new york was apparently created by a group trying to imitate isis. senator charles schumer says that he's learned from the fbi that the list was not made by isis as originally though

surveillance video shows officer guerra and his partner rosa rodriguez in an elevator in a coney island is apartment building. rodriguez survived. just in the past 30 minutes we've learn norwegian helicopters from flying after an oil rig chopper crashed off the coast of norway. it hit a small island in hordalland county. rescue crews say they have found 11 bodies so far, but all 13 people who were on board are likely dead. norwegian news outlets reported that most of them worked for stat oil. it's not clear what caused that crash. >>> developing right now, there will be no criminal charges following a u.s. attack on a doctors without borders hospital in afghanistan. however, 16 military personnel will be disciplined. 42 people were killed in the incident, a top general says that a gun ship did not know it was attacking a trauma center last year. human error played a role in the mistake. doctors without borders calls the attack a war crime, however, the u.s. military says it is not because the strike was on a facility and it was unintentional. >>> well, in the race for president, democra

surveillance video presented as evidence shows officer ger air a and his partner, rosa rodriguez in an elevator in a coney island apartment building in april of 2014. rodriguez described being choked by thick smoke as the elevator doors opened. >>> 5:34. overnight four people, including a police officer were white powder came out of an envelope that was mailed to donald trump at trump tower. the powder proved harmless. meanwhile trump was at a california rally with 18,000 people. outside the rally hundreds of anti-trump protesters shut down the streets. police cars in costa mesa were surrounded and smashed. trump supporters were attacked and at least 20 people were arrested. >>> it is 5:35. you're never more than seven minutes away from weather and traffic and bill evans with your accuweather forecast. >> hey, let's take a look outside this morning. we got cloudy skies, it's cool. i think, you know, we'll have brightening of skies and, you know, we'll have a pretty decent sunrise. we have 50 degrees to start your morning right now. we got some showers. there's a couple little drizzles,

surveillance video shows the officer an his partner rosa rodriguez in an elevator in a cone anyisland apartment building. rodriguez did survive. >>> mayor de blasio is dodging questions about the fundraising scandal. the mayor continues to insist the subpoenas issue to key members of his staff will not be a problem. de blasio says his people have worked with, quote, the highest level of integrity and everything they've done is legal and appropriate. >>> time to check the commute. here's heather o'rourke. >>reporter: this is the cross bronx expressway westbound side right near the sheridan expressway, an accident is being cleared away. signal problems at 103rd street. r trains have signal problems at prospect avenue. we are also checking out this problem that is still with us, 202/206 in bridgewater south, just south of route 287, that's an accident. all lanes are closed down. the ramp from route 22 west going onto routes 202/206 also closed down. and then this problem on 22. this is in scotch plains, 22 west right near park avenue, overturned vehicle. all lanes remain closed down. str

the officer was killed, another cop officer rosa and rodriguez was injured. she is expected to testify. >>> new details about a busy shopping district on long island. police say that the victim was a retired nassau county police officer. the 65-year-old detective of minniola was crossing in carl's place yesterday afternoon when he was struck bay car. the 18-year-old man driving the car remains at the scene. no charges have been filed. >>> after he tumbled into a trench in brooklyn. news chopper 7 was on scene this morning. the man fell into the trench, that trench about 15 feet deep. the construction site is near the medical center. the emergency room doctor rushed to the scene though. >> as i saw it, it was that we couldn't really do anything for this guy in there and except just not make it worse. just to hold his head to make sure no movement to the spine because there is a high risk of the neck fracture. >> he was there, the victim was there in the hospital. the extent of the injury is not >>> mayor bill de blasio wants the state legislature to take actio

new video shows dennis guerra and rosa rodriguez overcome with chilling, black smoke. chilling calls were played in court. >> send for help. >> which unit? >> housing portable. >> what floor are you on? >> 14. 14. >> 14th floor. actually on the 13th floor. both were found unresponsive. officer guerra later died and rodriguez spent weeks in a coma with permanent lung damage now. >>> tom brady has to serve the four-game suspension. that's the ruling from the federal appeals court back to the deflate scandal. in a split decision, the judge decided with the nfl commissioner roger goodell saying he acted within his authority. it is not clear if brady took part in the scheme to deflate the footballs. >>> the criminal case against bill cosby can resume after a pennsylvania court blocked his appeal. the case against cosby involves former temple university employee andrea constand who alleges he drugged her and sexually assaulted her at his home in 2004. a former prosecutor said he wouldn't charge cosby after a charge in 2005. but a new prosecutor is charging cosby maintains th

they were able to hear his final words, and then there rosa rod -- rodriguez barely speaking arrived to testimony. michelle is on trial for murder -- he's accused of setting a mattress fire at this high rise in april of 2014. >> today is a difficult day for every new york police officer in that courtroom. >> officer rodriguez was supported by fellow officers who packed the courtroom to hear how she and her partner dennis answered the car taking an elevator to the 13th floor. surveillance camera catching their movements. i said. we were able to walk into the hallway, but we couldn't believe well. the officers in the thick choking smoke tried to find the emergency exit. i remember holding onto the i was holding onto him because i couldn't see. we were calling for help. and then officer gary haunting last words on a radio transmission. 85, >> his family had to sit there and watch the last steps of their son, a police officer, a partner had to watch that video as they search for her partner. her voice barely a whisper. >> firefighters rescued the pair, but the officer died from his injur

dennis gara and rosa rodriguez were among the first responders. gara died. he says his confession was coerced. taking a check of weather today. clouds and sun. mild. high of 69. tonight, cloudy, a couple of showers. maybe a thunderstorm with a low of 55. tomorrow, mostly cloudy. the e showers, high of 68. >>> coming up on the "today" >>il> taking a look of at the headlines. new numbers out today suggests that those laundry detergent pods pose more of a risk to children than other detergent. the study reveals a 17% climb in calls to poison control centers from 2013 to 2014. the study also found an increase in the number of children ingesting dish water detergent experts recommend parents with children younger than 6 refrain from using the pods all together. >>> before you sip your morning cup of tea, listen up. cv fes pharmacy has a recall for organic spiced herbal team. gold emblem abound, best by march 18th. may have salmonella. those who nay may have purchased the tea are urged to return for a refund. >>> "jungle book" is still at the top of the box office

responding police officer was killed, officer rosa rodriguez was seriously injured due to testify today. >>> grief counselors are on hand at a westchester county school following the sudden death of a young student over the weekend. the westchester health commissioner tells cbs 2 preliminary findings show the childs death to be an isolated event and it's safe to return to school. parents are still concerned: let's get over to kyla for a final look at traffic. >> getting very busy unfortuntely an accident in bedminster has the right lane blocked on route 78 eastbound approaching exit 26 now about an eight mile delay stretching back to exit 18, so route 22 that's going to be your better alternate there. we also have about a 30 minute delay the george washington bridge same delay at the lincoln and holland, so also getting a little busy and in queens, the lie is heavy westbound at grand central parkway you can see that alternate side parking is in effect citywide. john? >>> we have got clouds overhead right now we are going to see changes during the course of your week. your day today simi

officer rosa rod rotted is set to testify about the hallway mattress fire that killed her partner two years ago. prosecutors say marcell who was then 16 set the fire because he was bored. officer rodriguez was injured in the fire but did survive. dockery turned down a plea bargain. a conviction in this trial could mean 25 years to life in prison. >>> president obama is in germany talking up american innovation. german's chancellor along with the leaders of france and italy. he is talking about america's role in the european economy. >> we are proud to showcase america's commitment to innovation. you will see pioneering companies that change the way we live, work and learn. this is to tell everyone to come here and buy made in america. >> the president says much of the world's innovation and good jobs depend on cooperation. take a live look. the president is announcing his plan to send another 250 special operations troops into syria. there are 50 special operation workers on the ground advising syrian forces as they combat forces around the city of raqqa. >>> a look from the live camera this morning shows we have a we are looking at clouds as we look past the verrazano bridge. that is o