Star Quarterback Recovering from Motorcycle Accident
PHILLIPS: Whoever shot a judge yesterday in Reno, Nevada is still on the loose. Family court judge Chuck Weller is said to be in good condition today after someone shot through the window of his third floor office and hit him in the chest. Police say Weller had presided over the separation of his suspected attacker, who's also charged with murdering his estranged wife. The two attacks happened just hours apart. Police are asking the public's help in finding a pawnshop owner named Darren Roy Mack. Murders, robberies, assaults -- combined they make 2005 a bit more dangerous than 2004. The FBI reports that the U.S. violent crime rate shot up 2.5 percent last year, the biggest jump in 15 years. Murders were up almost five percent and experts aren't sure whether it's the end of a long downward trend in crime or just a one-year quirk. The Midwest saw the biggest increase of any region in that country. Well a relaxing day as the beach in California ends up with a fatal and freak accident. Investigators are still trying to figure out how two police officers ran over a sunbather without even knowing it. The officers reportedly had stopped their SUV atop a small ledge of sand to check on a swimmer who appeared to be in distress. But when they saw the swimmer was fine, they drove on, apparently unaware that they ran over the head of an Iowa woman who was sunbathing right below the ledge. The witness called the fire department, but 49-year- old Cindy Conolly did not survive. Conolly was in California for her son's wedding. The officers are on paid leave while the accident is investigated.</s>PHILLIPS: Big Ben is said to be on the mend today in Pittsburgh, but still in serious condition after seven hours of surgery. As you may know, Ben Roethlisberger, star quarterback of the Super Bowl champions Pittsburgh Steelers, well, he wrecked his motorcycle yesterday. He wasn't even wearing a helmet. CNN's Miles O'Brien has more, in a report that you first saw on AMERICAN MORNING.</s>DAVID LETTERMAN, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Now let me know if this hurts, for God's sake.</s>MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That's Ben Roethlisberger on the Letterman show, fresh from his Super Bowl win. He shaved his lucky beard and the crowd went wild. On Monday, another kind of close shave for the Steelers quarterback, one that could have cost him his life. Riding his motorcycle in downtown Pittsburgh without a helmet, he crashed into a car.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was turning, and he was coming and he hit the side of her car, and like they said, his head hit the windshield, and he went up and, like, landed on his head.</s>LINDSAY BILSACK, WITNESS: We turned left onto the 10th Street Bridge, and immediately after turning, heard a really loud crash.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was on his bike. When I went over to him, and I looked on, and I said, are you OK? He didn't answer me, but he was looking at me. His eyes were kind of, like, glazed over.</s>O'BRIEN: Medics rushed Roethlisberger to the hospital.</s>DR. DANIEL PITUCH, MERCY HOSPITAL: Mr. Roethlisberger was evaluated by our trauma team and taken to the operating room, where he underwent surgery for multiple facial fractures. All of the fractures were successfully repaired. He was in surgery for approximately seven hours. His brain, spine, chest, and abdomen appear to be without serious injury, and there are no other confirmed injuries at this time.</s>O'BRIEN: Roethlisberger preferred riding his bike without a helmet, and that is perfectly legal in Pennsylvania, the helmet law repealed three years ago. But his coaches were none too happy about their first-string quarterback's risky habit, and his fans and friends are worried as well.</s>TERRY BRADSHAW, FMR. STEELERS QB: Ben, Ben, you're all the sudden, you're starting to make me think you're not that smart. Park the motorcycle. And in 14 years you'll be what 33, 34, ride the sucker all you want. Did you not see what the idiot did in Cleveland, and he might lose millions of dollars? Don't be stupid, son, park the motorcycle. You're cool enough without the Harley.</s>O'BRIEN: Terry Bradshaw is referring to Kellen Winslow Jr. The number-one draft choice for the Cleveland Browns for the Cleveland Browns tore up his knee and missed the entire 2005 NFL season following a motorcycle accident. In 2003, the Chicago Bulls Jason Williams nearly died after crashing his motorcycle into a light pole. He's still attempting to come back from those devastating injuries. As for Roethlisberger, it appears his accident could have been worse.</s>TOM BRADY, PATRIOTS QB: Hopefully he recovers quickly. Hopefully he's doing -- hopefully he's OK. I'm sure everybody out here would feel the same. You know, I know guys who ride motorcycles and it's scary stuff. You never know. I don't know why that accident was caused. But like I said, hopefully he's OK.</s>O'BRIEN: Miles O'Brien, CNN, New York.</s>PHILLIPS: Well, Roethlisberger's accident made us look at the helmet laws across the country. Twenty states and the District of Columbia require helmets for adult riders. The rest don't, according to the American Motorcycle Association. Thirty percent of riders lack enough medical insurance to cover accident costs. Those expenses, about $12,000 per accident on average, get passed to taxpayers. We're expecting a statement soon from the hospital on Roethlisberger's condition. We'll bring that you as soon as it happens. Time now to check in with Wolf Blitzer, standing by in "THE SIT ROOM" to tell us what's coming up at the top of the hour. Hey, Wolf.</s>WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Kyra, thanks very much. P.R. and politics. President Bush makes a surprise visit to Iraq. We'll take you behind the scenes of a secret mission. Also, Karl Rove in the clear. The Republican mastermind free from legal troubles. Find out why this White House victory may mean bad news for some Democrats. Plus, guilty as charged. A Kennedy Congressman takes the rap for drugging and driving. And busted at the border. Customs agents accused of taking bribes for letting people and drugs into the country. Kyra, all that coming up right here in "</s>THE SITUATION ROOM." PHILLIPS: All right, Wolf. We'll be watching. Thanks. Ali Velshi has the closing bell for us, right after a quick break.