serious legal trouble. the news at 6:00 starts now. good evening. thank you for being with us on this monday. i'm raj mathai. it's almost impossible to get over the prices of everything so high. gas, groceries, everything costs more. the price of something else is also going up. your commute the. the newest option to avoid the gridlock? the express lanes will cost you more money. the price is up for using the lanes. is it worth trying to get there faster? what is the cost? >> reporter: yeah. i'll tell you, jessica. it's essential lay numbers game here. the more cars on the road, the more you're going pass to pass them in an express lane. we here in the bay area are already familiar with the idea of surge pricing.

we caught up with commuters who moved over into traffic to save money when the sign read $8 a section. >> yeah. it's a little much. but, you know, a couple extra dollars would have been okay. skblr as more of us hit the road, bay area express lanes along 101, 880, and 680 are charging higher prices during peak commute hours. think of it like uber surge pricing during busy times or hotels raising prices during conventions. they're designed, relied on the honor system and fast track cameras to let car pools and buses ride for free. >> the idea to move more people through a given corridor. >> reporter: they'll let anyone bypass the masses for a price. that price ranges from a few bucks to $30 depending on traffic and your willingness to pay up to speed up. >> and now you want to charge us

to go on something that should be free? no. >> reporter: most express lane customers use the lanes just a couple of times a month. you know, when they absolutely positively have got to be someplace on time and that they need that reliability. >> reporter: now the mtc went on to tell us the average price someone pays for one of those lanes is about $4. a warning some that have money is actually going to hire more chp officers to crack down on express lane cheaters. nbc bay area news. >> a pricey ticket. gas prices so high they hover around $6 a gallon across the bay area. they could go up more. california's gas tax is currently 51 cents a gallon. the highest in the nation. it's scheduled to go up another 3 cents on july isst. part of a cost of living increase. california sits on a $68 billion

surplus. lawmakers are fighting whether to give some money back to taxpayers. the governor proposed suspending the hike. they want to keep it in place. getting rid of it will take away money from road improvements and repairs. lawmakers needed to act yesterday in order to suspended the increase and it didn't happen. >> i'm visiting from florida. i'm not used to $5 prices. >> oh, man. >> yeah. the last i saw was $3.79 at costco. it's almost like $1.5 increase. >> yeah. it's hard to imagine. >> yeah. i don't think i could live here. >> now republicans at the state capitol want to get rid of the gas tax all together. the san jose police department is reeling today after learning that a fentanyl overdose is to blame for the death of a young police officer. deshaun packer was dead in march. the cause of death wasn't finalized until the weekend. nbc bay area broke the news for us on saturday and joins us this

evening from sjpd headquarters. there could be some serious legal consequences here. correct? >> for quite a few people. it depends on what the investigation uncovers. this is news that san jose police brass was expecting but came as a shock. the question is what else will this investigation uncover? investigation has been ongoing for quite some time now. now for over a month, sources have been telling me that officer packer was at at party with other officers the night before he died. if that, in fact, is the case. the question is did any of the officers know about the drugs that ultimately killed packer? legal analysts steve clark tells us the person who provided packer the drug could face second-degree murder charges. now santa clarita is going after those who distribute fentanyl. >> it's difficult when it's an officer involved in a situation

like this. you don't think of a police officer and drug overdose in the same sentence. but what needs to be done is a careful, thorough investigation. >> sources also tell us several san jose police officers could face internal and criminal investigations for conduct related to this packer case. just a lot of information coming out. we'll stay on top of it for you. >> yeah. i know you're on the forefront of the story and this investigation. you've reported that officer packer's body was found. we mentioned at his home. how does that impact the investigation? >> well, it means that the lead agency is the police department. they tell us once the coroner's report is about in three weeks they'll take appropriation anxious. steven clark also said it's probably a good thing because that takes the investigation away from san jose police and into an outside agency. >> good point. thank you. we created a special web page dedicated to the fentanyl

prices. go to nbcbayarea.com/fighting fentanyl to watch the two-part investigative series and find resources, if you need help. we have follow up to the breaking news we covered last night on the 11:00 p.m. newscast. a man is dead after being hit on his bicycle while trying to cross capital express in san jose. police say a car was going west on the expressway when the driver hit the bicyclist. the driver cooperated with police and there were no signs of alcohol or drugs. it's the 29th deadly collision in san jose this year alone. okay. have you ever had your car broken into in san francisco? you're not alone. you'll want to pay particular attention. this next story involves a car break in. dedicated dad, and stunning information about how little police do -- did in this case to get his stolen goods back. here is nbc bay area. >> i ran inside to get one thing. 15 seconds maybe 30.

>> reporter: san francisco resident tyler said he was loading up the family minivan for a spring break get away when someone stole their bags. >> there's nothing on the street. quiet. >> reporter: after the robbery, his amateur sleuthing skills kicked in. he filled out a police report, put a message on next door and got a video from a neighbor showing the only vehicle that drove by his home at 8:00 a.m. sunday morning. a gold minivan with something strapped on the roof. two days after the robbery, he was walking through the neighborhood and spotted the van parked right here. two blocks away from where he lives. these are pictures he took of the van with the familiar-looking rug strapped to the roof. he said he found evidence the van was stolen. he talked with the person sitting in the passenger seat about the robbery two days earlier. >> i told her why i was interested in this particular vehicle showed her the video from the neighbor on my phone. she said that's, you know, terrible. i'm sorry it happened to you. >> reporter: he returned 20 minutes later, he noticed the

woman was gone and spotted one of his kitsds' stolen games inside. he called police. two officers arrived within a half hour. the door was unlocked so his as police watched, he recovered some of his family's stolen property including a blanket and stuffed animal. the laptops, ipads, and other items were gone. he got a call from officers saying they let the people in the van leave because it hadn't been reported stolen. that was a month ago. he said he's heard nothing about arrests since. >> what are your thoughts on the way the police handled this? >> inexplicable. >> we want them to solve these kinds of crimes and essential the bigger ones, too. >> reporter: after our interview and my inquiry to police about this, he said the sfpd called him and said a sergeant is assigned to the case. a police spokesperson confirmed the details of the incident and told us it's an open

investigation with no arrests so far. in san francisco, nbc bay area news. as covid cases continue to spike, today officials said they have a new plan to make sure everyone has a chance to beat the virus, if they're infected. county health leaders are launching a new initiative to beef up access to treatment. specifically the county is focussed on making sure everyone can get anti-viral medication within 48 hours of a positive test. that should dramatically reduce the risk of serious illness or death. the county launched a new 24/7 phone line with advice nurses who can help set up appointments for the anti-virals regardless of your insurance status. the goal to cut down on inequities and care that lead to higher death rates among minority communities. >> with the arrival of the booster, the disparity is back. only 38% of our latin x

population has received a booster. >> health leaders said they plan to hand out more free test kits and are digging deeper into the covid tests to identify other barriers that may have prevented people from getting the best care possible. now to garlic war but could turn into one. organizers announced the famed garlic festival will not return this year. that's when rival promoter offered to step in and hold it. that's what he did for the asparagus festival in 2015 which happens to be this weekend. it's been rebranded as. that move is upsetting some.

up next at 6:00 p.m., that's a bear roaming in a neighborhood and up in a tree at one point. it's happening here in the bay area. we'll take you there. a deal has been reached and ratified. the new details on the greemtd that ended the strike among stanford nurses. it was a cool day. currently 59 in san francisco. i'm tracking a big-time warm up. i'll have details in about seven minutes. right now an update on the police hunt for an alabama corrections officer who disappeared with an inmate on the day of her retirement. also, another interest rate hike expected. things you may want top do now if you're looking for a loan. when we're joined by the viewers of the west tonight for "nightly news."

under district attorney gascón, i prosecuted car break-ins. all repeat offenders, often in organized crime rings. but when chesa boudin took office, he dissolved the unit and stopped me from collaborating with the police on my cases. now home and car break-ins are on the rise because repeat offenders know they can get away with it. chesa boudin is failing to do his job. there's a better way to keep san francisco safe. recall chesa boudin now. this mother's day, show mom that you worship the ground she walks on. or in this case, stands on. the new anti-fatigue comfortmat from weathertech is a gift she'll appreciate all year round. it makes standing comfortable in the home or office and comes in a variety of colors and finishes. and for mom's vehicle, there's cupfone, floorliner, cargoliner, and seat protector. show mom that she deserves the best with an american made gift from weathertech. mom's gonna love this! happy mother's day from weathertech.

imagine soming -- coming home and seeing a bear. this is in lake tahoe or in the santa cruz mountains. sharon, where is the bear right now? where are the people living in that home? >> reporter: well, i've seen the bear myself. experts said it's 2 to 3 years old, it probably weighs already 300 pounds. they're telling me it's still taking a nap in the backyard over there.

>> right against it here. >> reporter: that's where we first spotted what is believed to be a black bear napping under pushes in one neighbor's backyard. on the other side of the fence is a middle school where classes are in session. a assistant principal greg white is keeping an eye on the wildly unusual scene. >> we notified parents and students. this is something that is ongoing. any moment we might need to have everybody go inside. >> reporter: moments later, the bear decides to make a move. slowly at times through the trees and down the driveway. then venturing out to other yards. >> wow! >> reporter: at one point, we spotted it rounding a corner and heading back toward the neighbors and me. you can see me taking off trying not to get too close to the 300-pound wild animal. >> he's running toward you. >> reporter: that's why police called in fish and wildlife after watching the bear's movements for hours.

>> they're the experts. >> reporter: some say the bear has been around for days, police say the situation change with school today. >> just a crazy in my hometown. >> reporter: a wild site that drew a crowd and some questions about why experts are waiting so long to to something about it. >> i thought they would have relocated the bear. they left and left the bear to wander around. >> reporter: and she was saying that about six hours ago. so this has been going on a long time. official and wildlife tell us they're going to wait this out. they're hoping when it becomes quieter tonight the bear will make its way out on its own and head back to the hills. we'll see. reporting live, nbc bay area news. >> time to stay indoors for awhile. at a contentious week on strike, 5,000 stanford nurses are ready to go back to work tomorrow. 83% of the nurses voted in favor of a new contract reached last friday. the deal is now ratified that

gives nurses a 70% wage increase in year. 5% increase the following two years. retirement and health benefits also improved. >> stanford and packard a world class institutions and our nurses are world class. we are very proud of the advances we have made with the contracts. they addressed the goals we is the out at the outset of negotiations and we hope will lead the way to improve nursing as an overall profession. >>. and berkeley teamed up to commemorate ramadan with a food drive. ramadan, as you might know, is observed by muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. >> a charity or service is a very main principle. so we consider it our responsibility. our duty to provide help to the

community and to everybody else who is in need. >> and they are providing help. donated items including 1200 pounds of nonperishable food items and 250 face masks. all right. let's talk about the rest of the workweek and hopefully the temperatures go up. it's chilly. >> i know. what a big awakening we had today after the 70s. some 80s this weekend. we dropped and dropped fast today. we had lots of wide spread 60s. we also had a breeze so when it kicked up it made a lot of bay area feel like the 50s. temperatures are down anywhere from 7 to 11 degrees compared to this time yesterday. tomorrow hang on. here we go on the rollercoaster ride this week. the area of high pressure right here as it will bring in the warmer air and keep the storm track to the north. and also eventually put us near some record-setting temperatures this week. so as we take you into tomorrow morning's forecast, not quite warm just yet. we'll keep with the chilly mornings. mostly sunny skies with plenty

of 40s throughout the bay area. right over the east bay we're down to 47 tomorrow morning. san francisco 48 and the north bay at 46. under the mostly sunny skies. as we roll through the afternoon, though, that's where the temperatures will jump up. 81 in east san jose. that's a warm day in oakland at 75. a big jump for you. right near the peninsula, we're going up to 78 in palo alto, 76 in redwood city. sfwlu the north bay 81. 82 in napa. tomorrow, again, begins the warming. i do not think we'll see wide spread records tomorrow. you can see with my forecasted temperatures here we still need to get up to the 90s for our

inland valleys to reach those records. i do think we have a better bet of getting close to record-setting temperatures. once we hit wednesday's forecast. it will be the hottest day of the seven-day forecast as we head through the week. you can see in san francisco by wednesday up to 75. we do get the chance of some spotty drizzle on friday night from a weaker system. then by saturday wind kicks up 15 to 30 miles per hour. gets gusty on sunday 20 to 50 with a slight chance of an evening spotty shower. we have dry weather next monday. inland valley forecast 90s on wednesday. 73 on friday. on sunday we get that wind 20 to 50 and 70 for a high. right now for all the moms out there and everybody setting up mother's day for mom, inside is going to probably be the best thing on sunday. >> where would you like your

chardonnay? >> i just want the chardonnay. >> good goal. >> thank you. up next not going down without a fight. the latest on the saga about that cross on a bay area hill. stay with us. did you know that renovating your kitchen and bathroom is one of the best ways to increase the value of your home? i'm mike holmes here with ivan from agm renovations america's number one kitchen and bathroom renovators thanks mike!

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we're doing great. i'm so happy for you! but i'm just here for my order. oh. entre-pin-eurs? yeah, my bowling team. i like it. there's money in puns. do business like a gigillionaire at&t business fiber, now with speeds up to 5-gigs. limited availability. oakland officer recovering while being hit by a car while investigating a shooting. it happened close to memorial park. police say they saw someone start shooting and run inside a nearby house. when a driver who was possibly involved in the shooting raced away, they hit the patrol car. the officer inside was taken to the hospital. he is? stable condition. at this point, we have heard of any arrests. for years debates focussed on a cross standing 0 an hillside above albany. the christian symbol has been taken to court and debated before the city council. the lions club and international

service group erected the cross in the late 1960s but the land is owned by the city of albany. a judge has ruled that's a first amendment violation. so albany city council voted to remove the cross using imminent do main. >> we have to essentially condemn the land the cross is on and offer them a value based on our assessment of what it's worth. >> simply allow a small piece of that property to be placed into private ownership and then the city no longer has a first amendment violation. >> city leaders, however, said they're not inclined to take that route. stay tuned for the future. up next helping teachers make it in the bay. the new buildings complete on the peninsula. the nbc news control room. lester holt preparing for "nightly news." one of the top stories covid's sub variant and possible sign of

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voters passed a measure. rent prices start about $1,500 for one bedroom. tonight at 7:00 p.m. a major milestone here in california. for the first time ever, 00% of the state's power was covered by renewable energy. we'll break down a what it means and why many critics question the green energy movement. it's coming up at 7:00 p.m. corporate cops turning the tables on organized retail crime. how do the cops operate with the biggest retailers? the new tactics to pursue thieves. lester holt joining us from new york now. tonight, the desperate evacuations in the ukrainian city of mariupol. roughly 100 civilians evacuated from a steel plant after weeks sheltering underground. but where will they end up some taken to russian-controlled territory and hundreds

still trapped inside the plant as russian forces say they hit 800 targets in ukraine in just 24 hours also tonight, the arrest warrant issued for an alabama corrections officer who disappeared with a murder suspect the urgent manhunt tornado watches in effect on the heels of that violent outbreak over the weekend the massive wildfires burning in the southwest. the new evacuations there. covid on the rise in at least 44 states now and why new york city is raising its covid alert level. the former nypd officer found guilty for his role in the capitol riot plus the january 6th panel seeking to question three gop lawmakers. what it hopes to learn. and in georgia, the special grand jury seated to investigate donald trump for alleged election interference the war on organized retail crime. the so-called corporate cops working undercover to take down shoplifting rings. and kicking off