Police say this is the man responsible and tonight, were learning how detectives tracked him down all the way to wisconsin. The philadelphia victims all told the same story, their attacker drove a white work truck, a vehicle that was immaculately clean. Officers say it was dna evidence that ultimateeyc cracked the case. Nbc 10s Rosemary Connors live at Philadelphia Police svu. Reporter investigators here bring their suspect back to philadelphia. He had been out of state serving time in wisconsin for a rape he committed one year ago. Im just glad he was caught. I guess hell pay his dues. Neighbors who live across the street from Pennypack Park are relieved to hear that Philadelphia Police have a 38yearold robert palen, accused of beating and raping three women in separate assaults at the park in the summers of 2010 and 2011 palen is now in jail, his dna police say helped to put him there. Evidence recovered from the one victim in august of 2011. That dna was uploaded into the national system. Reporter it wasnt until march of this year whenq2 investigators in philadelphia tracked down palen. Police in the midwest entered palens dna in the system after a woman in wisconsin reported that he raped and tried to strangle her. His dna was uploaded, matched ours we started this investigation all over again in march. Reporter police call this development significant and the beginning of the end, closure for the i ]u sak detectives and the Pennypack Park neighborhood. Definitely feel much safer. Theres always concern because the park is open. So you know, we all take precautions. As for the rape in wisconsin, palen pled guilty to that crime earlier this year. Police say he was in wisconsin the first place because he moved there to meet a woman whom he he left behind his new exwife and children here in philadelphia. Reporting live outside of special victims, Rosemary Connors, nbc 10 news. Now to the latest on the flu outbreak. Delaware Health Officials say the state has ten times the number of flu cases they had at this point last year. As of december 20th, delaware has seen 632 cases of the flu. More than 70 people had to be hospitalized. Statewide 2]uno died. An Infectious Disease expert tells nbc 10 this years vaccine didnt quite hit every flu strain that it needed to. Were still recommending people get the vaccine. Tnndu do, as i mention, think it will provide a little bit of immunity. This pharmacy in wilmington say theyve seen a huge demand for tamiflu this season and manyihs pharmacies have had trouble keeping it in stock. A total of 10,117 flu cases were counted throughout the state of pennsylvania. More than 2800 of the cases were in our area. In a report from new jerseys department of today, it says flu cases in4shat state are high. In the last state report cases were rated at a moderate level. Cm r now to Atlantic Citys casino crisis. The taj mahal is preparing to stay open now through january. The taj just released a list of events through the 24th of next month. The casino was slated to close earlier this month but a 20 million loan from investor carl icahn kept the casino running through the new year. Turning now to the weather and a live look at boat house row. Get ready for a night with some freezing temperatures out. Lets check in with nbc 10 chief meteorologist glenn hurricane schwartz and glenn, what should we expect . Well, its going to be a colder night than what we saw last night by quite a bit. Weve had just a little bit of wind out there left over a bit of a wind chill, but not too much. Clear skies across the area. Thats allowing the temperature to fall pretty quickly. Down to 28 in pottstown, 29 in reading and mt. Holly and Atlantic City international, 31 degrees even in dover. So the temperature will continue to drop steadily as we go through this clear, cool night. Down into the upper 20s in philadelphia by 11 00 and closer to the 20 degree mark. Even colder tomorrow. More on those numbers and the weekend storm with the sevenday in a few minutes. Activists gathering outside the fda field office in ban. The group is opposed to a rule that prevents gay men from donating blood. The fda made new recommendations to allow donations from gay men who abstained from sex for a year. Protesters say this is still discriminatory. I think its unfair. Aidsy is not a gay disease. I think its time they need to lift the ban and let everyone give blood. Protesters say they hope todays event sheds light on an issue that many people are not aware of. Police in Delaware County have now identified the suspect killed during a police chase. Officers say mark Eric Anderson sped off after theyrc tried to pull him over for a Traffic Violation yesterday. Police say anderson crashed into another car. The driver of that car right now in critical condition. New information tonight about an accident involving a Police Cruiser that killed a 10yearold boy in gloucester ql unty nqn nbc 10 has just learned that the officer behind the wheel of that car was responding to a call about an unruly juvenile but investigators havent said who that child was. Now, matthew mccloske, he was crossing route 47 with two friends when police were responding to that call. Tonight, a candle light vigil planned for thursday night at the franklint 4[v township sports complex. Thats for thursday. Meanwhile, a team of investigators working to determine the speed of the cruiser involved and if lights and sirens were engaged. We dont want to put out guesses and speculation that may turn out to be inaccurate. And then may give people the appearance that were trying to cover something up or hiding something. That will be a very transparent investigation. Chief rock says his officer and the department are devastated by the tragedy. Now to disturbing video released to us from Philadelphia Police showing a pregnant woman being punched and robbed in south philly. It happened last week. You can see the man walk up behind the woman and hit her, knocking her to the ground. He then took her purse as well as a bag of food. Suspect really hard to see here but police are hoping you may recognize the car he was driving. Its being described as possibly a 2004 to 21 9 dodge durango. Pennsylvania drivo u will take a little hit in the wallet come new years day, starting thursday gas taxes are going upya almost a dime per gallon. Diesel taxes are going up by 13 cents a gallon. This is the second of three increases to boost Construction Funding throughout the state. The third increase happens in 2017. A local Police Department now has electronic eyes watching their every move. All 14 fulltime members of the paulsboro Police Department are now Wearing Police body cameras. The Department Hopes the technology will help increase the accountability of officers as well as the credibility offc÷ the department. Theres a problem with an officer, we can address it. By the same turn if they did nothing wrong, have documentation to show they were acting within the color of their badge. Program comes with a pretty hefty price tag. The cameras will cost the department 71,000 for the first five years. Another candidate is jumping into the crowded race for philadelphias seven atlarge city council seats. Many voters will be familiar with her father. Nbc 10 has learned that jenay ayers has announced that shes running. Ayers is studying to get her law degree at yale. Pfw shes 26 years old. If elected she would make philadelphia history as the youngest Council Person to serve. Shes the daughter of lloyd ayers. The deadline for filing is march 10th. Its sort of a new years eve Swiss Army Knife you can put in your survival kit for tomorrow night. Im doug shimell, that story, next. Ill have your new years forecast. nk im also tracking a storm that could be headed our way. Details ahead on my exclusive nbc 10 first alert forecast. This is nbc 10 news. The more than twoweek long search for a missing philadelphia man has police in hunting park today. Investigators sifted through the wreckage of a burned out suv belonging to 69yearold veto maglio. Officers found the charred car on december 17th. He suffers from several medical conditions requiring medication. Its a busy night out there for skyforce 10 live over more breaking news this time as you see here, a car has gone into a school, slammed into the building here in northeast philadelphia. It happened at the Benjamin Rush arts acadmy. This is t. We dont know the extent of his or her injuries. Count on updates on nbc 10 news at 11 00 as well as nbc10. Com. No reason why he should have been killed. The family of a man killed by Philadelphia Police calling for justice. The mother of Brandon Tate Brown led this rally at the site of her sons death in frankfurt today. Police say they stopped tate brown for driving without headlights some two weeks ago. Officers say he reached for a loaded gun when they shot him. Dont everybody care that someones son is dead. Until it is you. Thats right. Its got to stop. The officers involved in the shooting are on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. In berks county, new billboards urge everyone to quote, thank a cop today. Take a look. Dozens of billboards like these popped up across berks county. They have messages like who runs towards danger when you run away . Thank a cop today. The owner of a reading based Billboard Company put up the signs. He tells nbc 10 hes doing it to stand up to recent backlash against Police Across the country. From our jersey shore bureau, watch the tram car, please. Its official. The popular4 trains are coming to Atlantic City offering visitors new ways to travel up and down the boardwalk. Service is set to start on february 1st but its not good news for everyone. The trams may cause the iconic rolling cars on the boardwalks to lose some business. 2014 is coming to a close of course and tonight the final preps for new years eve are under way. Take a look at our countdown clock. Were just one day away from the ball dropping in times square. Or if youre in Kennett Square its the giant mushroom that drops. Doug shimelle is live at the valley forge casino in king of prussia. Doug youve been checking up on new years plans in our area. We went in search of, i guess youd call them alternative new years eves and we found them. They are very proud of the join the mushroom on new years eve. The mushroom is a symbol of our area. It was beautiful, hanging like a chandelier in the sky. It was gorgeous. Reporter when the 500 pounds of steel and l. E. D. S brought in 2014 there were a ] few minor issues to work out. We were 15 sections off. Reporter early or late . We were early, i think. Yes. 15 seconds early last year because the clock we had, the one clock wpn had bought one, was 15 seconds off. We didnt know how to fix it. Reporter its one of the alternative new years eves thats in prepping overdrive. It is a lobster new year at the valley forge casino resort where tony clark knows the demands of the Biggest Party of the year. Its the number one show of the year. We have to be the best you know. All eyes are on us. We have to make sure every guest is happy. Going in our third year i think we have everything perfected. We have so many different parties going on whether its this convention party, the biggest weve ever done. Reporter whether mushroom or lobster you have one upped your neighbor on new years eve. Of the most unusual drops in the usa. There you go. Five four rich nichols told us because of the slight timing glitch a year ago that Kennett Square was 15 seconds ahead of everybody else for all of 2014. Live in king of prussia, doug shimell, nbc 10 news. Thanks, doug. Septas accommodating partygoers. There will be allnight Subway Service on new years eve. Its one of the number of scheduled changes septa is making for the festivities. If you havent made your new years plans, not too late. We have a gallery of events going on around our area. Find it right now in our new nbc 10 app. 8bv w the charlesworth9n hotel and restaurant will host 100 guests to ring in 2015. The 90yearold landmark is known for its panoramic views of the delaware bay. Thisiirpo though is a onetime event at least for now. The owner hopes to fully reopen the restaurant this spring. Now your nbc 10 first alert weather with chief meteorologist glenn hurricane schwartz. After all that warm weather we saw last week and over the weekend, things are really changing here. Were back to the cold and its going to be even colder tonight than last night. Temperatures are going below average for new years eve and new years day. Setting us up for the weekend storm this may start as a wintry mix. At least in parts of the rea. Clear skies right now, great visibility and its gown to 36 in philadelphia. 6 mileanhour wind, 6 degrees colder than it was at this time yesterday. Over the weekend, we were well in the 50s, 48 degrees for the official high yesterday. 38 today. 33 degrees for my predicted high for tomorrow. And those temperatures, well in the upper 20s, pottstown and reading, millville is now at 27. Atlantic city mt. Holly at ukmf÷29. Theres colder air back to the west. Were getting a piece of this arctic outbreak. Its 1 in minneapolis right now. The wind chill is 20 below zero and denver 3 below zero. Thats a ÷o record cold december day in denver. And some of that air going all the way as far west as california and causing snow in las vegas. So were just on the eastern edge of that. The western edge of that is at thats a lot of the country getting cold. The dry week continues and that includes new years eve which will be pretty cold. 26 degrees at midnight. The wind chill will feel like its about 20. And for new years day, of course its going to start off very cold with 23 degrees in philadelphia. Teens in the suburbs at 7 00 a. M. Only warming into the 30s with some wind making it feel like its in the 20s. That arctic air thats going to stay well to our west for the rest of this week some of thats coming in next week after a break over the weekend. Tonight mostly clear, colder 26 for the low in philadelphia. 19 north and west. Tomorrow sunny, breezy cold. Highs only in the low 30s, plus that wind making it feel like its in the 20s. And then on thursday breezier. The temperature up to 39. The clouds increase on friday saturday, theres that storm. Could start as a wintry mix north and west. It changes to rain and just about everybody gets rain saturday night and into. Ym sunday morning. Then the arctic air comes in. Thanks hurricane. Im john clark. How much did the eagles Players Trust in chip kellys ways . Thats next. Webuyanycar. Com has helped thousands of people let go of all the hassle that comes with selling or trading in. We make selling your car truck or suv fast, safe and fair with three simple steps one get your free online valuation. Two drive to your local carbuying center. Three walk out with a check in as little as thirty minutes. Buying cars is all we do. All makes and models and no dealership pressure well even settle your loan or lease. So, dont wait. Get your free online valuation now at webuyanycar. Com. This is the xfinity sportsdesk brought to you by xfinity, your home for the most live sports. Im john clark. Pat shurmur will interview for the Oakland Raiders head coaching job rather than getting ready for a playoff game the eagles are still figuring out what went wrong and where to go from here. The players are still on the chip ship. Just changing the culture and the atmosphere around here has really been good. For him to do that within two years, you know really speaks volumes. I thinksip its player friendly from a uf health standpoint they invest into your body and your longevity which is always great for a player, especially players who may be on their second or third contract. Youre not losing years when you play here. One thing that cannot be questioned is chipsability to coach the offense, the fastpaced unit the most prolific in team history when it comes to yardage and points this season. But the birds left the nfl turnovers. We had the highest completion percentage but we also in my opinion threw too many. ,9x turnovers. Ive never been on a team or coached a team thats had this many turnovers. Thats obviously something we have to clean up. Michigan introduced jim harbaugh as their new head coach today. They gave him the red carpet treatment orc the a nx khaki treatment. The student section had a khaki out at todays game. Jim didnt follow suit. He had a suit on. They got within one in the third period but a flat Second Period did them in. I dont understand it. You know . Talk about things we have to do and how to play and we dont we havent risen to the occasion a number of times in the Second Period. For the sixers kneenoel will play. Thank you cable. For the slower internet upload speeds. For making me wait longer to share my photo albums. Thank you cable, because if we never had you. We wouldnt know the incredible difference verizon fios makes. The numbers dont lie. In Customer Satisfaction studies, fios is rated 1 in Internet Speed and reliability, and hd picture quality. So join the millions who enjoy the difference fios makes. Get a fios triple play online at an amazing price guaranteed for two whole years. Plus now get 400 bonus with a two year agreement. Call the Verizon Center for customers with disabilities at 800. 974. 6006 tty v we had temperatures well into the 50s over the weekend. What a change. By tomorrow barely above freezing with a little wind. It will feel like in the 20s and tomorrow new years eve, pretty cold, too. For all of us here at nbc 10, im renee chenaultfattah. The news continues with nbc nightly news. See you at 11 00. On the broadcast tonight wreckage recovered. The worst fears now confirmed about that passenger plane that disappeared three days ago. Now investigators try to close in on what caused it to drop out of the sky. Line of duty. A dramatic increase in the number of cops killed on the job this year. And police advocates worry its part of growing animosity towards the government. The big plunge. Just before the ball drops so are temperatures. Drastically throughout the nation. But would you believe this is the warmest year on record . And peace and quiet. Grades are up suspensions are down and this School District credits a technique that goes back thousands of years. Nightly news begins now