Child killed in shooting at Chester gas station, DA says; Philly music icon dies; Large multi-state drug bust

THE RUNDOWN: 

1. Girl, 4, shot and killed by 2-year-old brother at Chester gas station, authorities say

CHESTER, Pa. – Authorities say a 4-year-old girl died after being shot by her 2-year-old brother inside a parked car at a Chester gas station. 

Officials said the shooting happened around 11 a.m. at Mano's Gulf Service Station located at 916 Kerlin Street. 

The child was driven to Crozer-Chester Medical Center and pronounced dead, authorities said. 

According to investigators, the 4-year-old girl was fatally shot by her 2-year-old brother who had been handling a gun inside a vehicle parked next to a gas pump. 

No charges were reported immediately following the deadly shooting. 

"Everybody in the community of Chester, in Delaware County, myself included, all of us are just heartbroken to think of what happened with this poor child," Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said.

Law enforcement sources told FOX 29's Dave Kinchen that the shooting "looks to be a horrible accident at this point." 

2. 'Wildwood Days' singer Bobby Rydell dead at 79, reports say

PHILADELPHIA – Bobby Rydell, a pompadoured heartthrob of early rock ‘n roll who was a star of radio, television and the movie musical "Bye Bye Birdie," died Tuesday.

Rydell died of complications from pneumonia at a hospital in a suburb of his hometown of Philadelphia, according to a statement posted by his marketing and event coordinator Maria Novey.

Rydell, who credited a 2012 kidney and liver transplant with extending his life, was 79.

Rydell never strayed far from his Philadelphia roots, living in the area for most of his life. The block of 11th Street where he grew up was christened Bobby Rydell Boulevard by his hometown in 1995.

"I never thought of myself as a celebrity," he told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003. "I was just a guy who went out there and worked."

He was born Robert Ridarelli in a South Philadelphia neighborhood that would also produce teen idols Darren, Fabian and Avalon. They knew each other as children — Rydell played drums with Avalon on trumpet in a group called Rocco and the Saints.

Before he graced the covers of teen magazines and movie screens, Rydell made his bones as a youngster in Philadelphia clubs.

Rydell's childhood sweetheart and first wife, Camille, died in 2003.

He is survived by his second wife, Linda Hoffman, whom he married in 2009, along with son Robert Ridarelli, daughter Jennifer Dulin, and five grandchildren.

3. Mother heartbroken after son, 15, shot and killed while walking home from school in North Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA – A Philadelphia mother is searching for answers after her teenage son was shot and killed while walking home from school Monday afternoon in North Philadelphia. 

Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 2200 block of North 15th Street just before 3 p.m. for reports of a shooting. 

Philadelphia Police Captain John Walker told reporters a 15-year-old student, later identified as Juan "J.R." Carlos Robles-Corona, had just left Dr. Tanner G. Duckrey School when he was approached by at least one person who shot him three times in the torso.

Officers drove the Robles-Corona to Temple University Hospital where died, according to police.

"To ambush my son and kill him like that and then leave him in the street like garbage he didn’t deserve that. no kid deserves that," J.R.'s mother Maria Balbuena told FOX 29. 

Balbuena said J.R. was involved in an incident at school before the deadly shooting and left the building earlier than usual. She claims the school never told her about the incident and didn't know what happened to her son until she got a call around 3:30 p.m. that he didn't pick up his siblings. 

"He always made sure he took care of his brothers and he didn’t make it," Balbuena said. "I need someone to tell me why I wasn’t called when he left."

Balbuena said she moved her family to Philadelphia from New York City last year and J.R. endeared himself to the city. 

"He would say ‘I’m a Philly boy now,' but the streets didn't love him back," Balbuena said. "I didn’t come here to take my son back to New York in a casket."

4. Hearing for woman charged in death of 2 Pa. state troopers, pedestrian on I-95 postponed until June

PHILADELPHIA - The hearing for the woman charged in the death of two Pennsylvania state troopers and a pedestrian on I-95 last month is postponed after originally being scheduled for Tuesday. The postponement came minutes after the families of the fallen troopers arrived at the courthouse. 

Authorities say 21-year-old Jayana Tanae Webb was behind the wheel of an SUV when it plowed into Trooper Branden Sisca, 29, Trooper Martin F. Mack III, 33, and Reyes Rivera Oliveras, 28, on I-95 in Philadelphia. 

The impact sent all three men over the median and into the northbound lanes. They were all later pronounced dead at the scene and Webb was taken into custody. 

Webb faces more than a dozen charges in the incident, including three counts of third-degree murder, three counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, and two counts of second-degree manslaughter of a law enforcement officer. Sources have told FOX 29 since the crash that Webb had a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit when she was tested after the crash.

5. Prosecutors: 5 charged in multi-state drug ring that distributed 800 pounds of crystal meth

PHILADELPHIA – Prosecutors in Pennsylvania have dismantled a large-scale drug ring accused of peddling more than 800 pounds of methamphetamine and other drugs in multiple states.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele was joined by local and federal agencies Tuesday in announcing charges against Tyrone Baker, 29, Shakeem Johnson, 27, Joshua Quiles, 31, Jhamir Winans, 21, and Rickey Evans, 28. 

Investigators said Evans shipped "large quantities" of drugs from Los Angeles to Baker, Quiles, Winans, Johnson and others in the Philadelphia-area for nearly a year. The men primarily used CashApp to pay Evans over $86k from March 2021 to March 2022, according to authorities. 

The investigation started last March when authorities said 29-year-old Chase Smith was arrested for selling methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Lower Merion Township. Authorities later learned that Smith was part of a large-scale meth ring that distributed drugs in New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia. 

While investigating the methamphetamine ring, authorities learned of a parallel investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Investigators identified 91 packages shipped between October 2019 and December 2021 that matched the pattern associated with the drug trafficking organization with mailing or a return address in the Los Angeles and Philadelphia areas.

"Drug traffickers need to know that law enforcement in this area is committed to stopping the flow of all illegal drugs in Montgomery County," Steele said. 

Authorities executed several search warrants at properties in southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and California. Authorities found drugs, including 83 pounds of crystal meth with a street value of at least $2M, and over 20 firearms including eight long guns. 

All five men are charged with more than 100 felony counts of crimes including corrupt organization, conspiracy, and possession with intent to deliver. Baker, Winans and Evans are being held on $3M bail, while Johnson and Quilrs had bail set at $1M. 

6. Weather Authority: Overnight showers lead to messy Wednesday morning commute

PHILADELPHIA – The Delaware Valley is bracing for a round of heavy rain that will move in overnight and intensify during the Wednesday morning commute. 

Moderate rainfall will cover most of the region by midnight, with heavier showers in parts of Delaware and southern New Jersey. Forecasters expect the rain to ramp up during the early morning hours with drenching downpours moving through most of the region around 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. 

FOX 29's Kathy Orr said heavy downpours will linger through the Wednesday morning commute as temperatures hover in the 50s. The large system of showers is expected to clear the coast before noon. 

Cloudy conditions will follow in the wake of the rain with temperatures reaching around 60 degrees. Forecasters say it won't stay dry for long as another round of rain that could bring thunderstorms will sweep through the region on Thursday. 

Scattered showers will dot the Delaware Valley on Thursday morning and become more widespread during the afternoon. Heavier rain, and possible thunderstorms, will stay mostly to the north of Philadelphia. 

Forecasters expect the double whammy of showers to drop over 2 inches of rain in most of the Delaware Valley.

7. Teen girl punched, choked by group who stole her phone at Broad Street Line SEPTA stop, source says

PHILADELPHIA – Law enforcement sources tell FOX 29 that a teenage girl was assaulted Monday evening at a Broad Street Line SEPTA stop by a group who stole her cell phone. 

According to a source, a 17-year-old girl exiting the Girard Avenue stop around 5 p.m. when she was approached by a group of three males who tried to talk to her. 

When she refused, they stole the girl's phone and punched and choked her when she wouldn't give them the passcode, a source said.

The teenage victim is expected to be okay. 

Philadelphia City Councilman David Oh called the attack "unfortunate" and "unacceptable." He believe SEPTA should dedicate more of its budget towards its police force to ensure rider's safety. 

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