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A longtime family doctor in Montgomery County disappeared Tuesday, but police said his sports utility vehicle was found near a trail.

Dr. Peter Cianfrani, 70, was last seen about 9 a.m. Tuesday morning. Some 12 hours later, his Honda CRV was found by Marlborough Township police.

The SUV was in a parking area on Crusher Road near an entrance to the Perkiomen trail.

He has been a doctor more than 40 years, and currently worked with Pennsburg Family Practice on Geryville Pike in the small northwest Montgomery County borough.

Employees at the doctor's office said they could not talk about the missing doctor. A message was left for the office manager.

According to an online biography, Cianfrani graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 1974, and he is affiliated with Saint Luke's Quakertown Hospital, Pottstown Memorial Medical Center and Grand View Hospital.

Marlborough police did not return a call Wednesday seeking additional details about the doctor's disappearance.

The missing persons case is the second police incident involving a doctor from the tiny borough of Pennsburg in the past year. In November 2016, Dr. David Kennedy, who ran a pediatric practice in the borough, was arrested for allegedly having sexually graphic photographs of children on his phone.

Kennedy died Dec. 18 at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, where he was being held on child pornography charges. He was the 25th inmate to die at the county jail since 2007, according to records obtained by NBC10.

His cause of death remains a mystery. 

The county medical examiner's office could not determine a cause, and the county solicitor's office declined to release jail records about the circumstances surrounding his death.

“We did quite a bit of testing and were not able to come up with anything substantial,” First Deputy County Coroner Alex Balacki said in May. “There were no physical injuries and nothing of toxicological significance.”

Anyone with information about Cianfrani is asked to call Marlborough police at (215) 234-9161.

NBC10's Rosemary Connors talked with Nicola Clarke, a nurse practitioner at CVS Minute Clinic, to discuss why experts believe this may be the worst flu season yet and how you should prepare.

Special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration demonstrates how much special gear their agents use when conducting a drug raid. The extra protection has become a necessity as opioids continue to gain potency.

Young immigants living in the United States under the DACA program fear potential deportation as it expires. NBC10's Lauren Mayk talks with one young student uncertain about his future.

Cape May County is working on a project to reduce constant flooding and beautify the entrance to Wildwood, New Jersey. The project is set to be complete in 2019. NBC10's Ted Greenberg is in New Jersey with the story.

A viewer says after buying a vehicle she changed her mind about an extra service warranty that the dealership sold her. The dealership promised her a refund but the check never came. That's when she called Harry Hairston and NBC10 Responds.

Inside a Philadelphia heroin mill in early September, law enforcement found more than 30,000 bags of the opioid. 

The big bust in the Summerdale section nearly became a catastrophe when three city police officers and a state investigator were overcome by what some believe was the deadly synthetic opioid, fentanyl.

Narcan saved their lives.

It was the most recent lesson for law enforcement, and first responders like paramedics, in the ever-growing opioid epidemic: More protective gear than ever is needed when responding to an opioid-related incident. 

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Other incidents, like an overdose in Bucks County in July that sent two paramedics, an EMT and a firefighter to a nearby hospital, are forcing local authorities to buy better protection. Since fentanyl officially entered the southeastern Pennsylvania illicit drug market last year, first responder overdoses have become a major concern.

Fentanyl is many times stronger than heroin.

"Whereas heroin can kill you in milligrams, fentanyl can kill you in micrograms,” said Gary Tuggle, the Drug Enforcement Administration's agent-in-charge for Philadelphia. 

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The DEA has already ramped up its response safety protocol, as was clearly on display during a demonstration for NBC10. Tuggle gave a reporter the opportunity to see what it's like to gear up for a heroin and fentanyl bust.

Agents strap on a bulletproof vest and a breathing apparatus that reminds of a scuba diver. Then on comes a fully enclosed green suit that harkens to "The X-Files."

"What you're seeing here is the Level A suit, which is the highest level," DEA Special Agent Pat Trainor said.

The increasing potency brings increasing precaution, and health officials said the synthetic opioid boom is far from over.

Dr. Barry Logan, chief scientist and director of toxicology services at NMS Labs in Willow Grove, is seeing new synthetic forms every month.

NMS Labs is one of the country's major testing centers, having studied blood samples of more than 15,000 fentanyl-related deaths. Logan said illicit chemists keep altering the deadly additive.

"It’s not just one substance now when we’re talking about fentanyl, it’s potentially up to about 20 or 30 different variants on fentanyl," Logan said.

One variant of even greater potency is already feared to be here: carfentanil, or "gray death," which is up to 1,000 times as strong as heroin. 

After the overdose incident in Bucks County that sent some of his medics to the hospital, an official with the local ambulance squad said new protective gear, including a Hazmat-grade arm sleeve made of a material called Tyvek, would be required.

But it had not yet arrived days after the July incident.

“It’s on back order because this stuff is so popular now,” he said.

A woman died from her injuries while a baby and a young girl were hurt after a car crashed into a trolley in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon.

The 36-year-old woman was driving a black Chevy Prism while a baby, 4 to 7 months old, and a girl, 3 to 4 years old, were in the backseat at 4:14 p.m. Police say the woman was traveling westbound on Girard Avenue when she struck a SEPTA Route 15 trolley traveling eastbound on Girard Avenue at 4th Street.

The woman was pronounced dead at 4:23 p.m. Police have not released her identity.

The baby suffered minor injuries and was taken to Hahnemann Hospital where she is currently in stable condition. She will be taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for further treatment.

The young girl suffered scratches as well as a possible concussion. She was taken to Hahnemann Hospital but officials have not yet revealed her condition.

Six passengers were on the trolley at the time of the crash though none of them were injured.

Police continue to investigate the crash.

The wait has been agonizing for Hiram Carmona, a Philadelphia resident hoping to relocate his 85-year-old mother from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

“Nobody is fine in Puerto Rico right now. Nobody,” he said.

His mother walks with a cane, and her failing health prevented the elderly woman from joining hundreds of hurricane victims in the sweltering San Juan Airport as they waited for the next flight off the island.

More than 3.5 million people in Puerto Rico do not have access to water, power, gasoline or communication with the outside world. Some have not been able to contact loved ones on the mainland.

As the humanitarian crisis spirals into further chaos, some local lawmakers are using the start of the legislative season to push the federal government into action.

Earlier this week, both Pennsylvania representatives Brendan Boyle, D-13, and Dwight Evans, D-2, used their time on the House floor to call for more relief aid.

“The federal government must provide its full, robust support to Puerto Rico immediately—just as we did for Texas and Florida,” Boyle, who represents portions of Philadelphia, Norristown and Lansdale, said. “The fact that this has not yet occurred ... is nothing short of appalling.”

Boyle, along with Evans and other members of Congress, sent a letter to President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense James Mattis asking them to “further mobilize the Department of Defense” and immediately deploy additional assets to both Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The first step would be appointing a senior official to work directly with FEMA to a manage a joint recovery effort on the ground. This would include mobilizing pilots to transport engineers and other workers to help clear roads and enable access to the otherwise remote islands.

Also, members of congress called for an increase in meals, water and survival kits to be transported to the caribbean.

“This was done in response to Hurricane Katrina, and we feel the same approach is warranted now,” the letter read.

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Since Hurricane Maria struck last week, the Department of Homeland Security has provided more than 1.5 million meals, 1.1 million liters of water, 300 infant and toddler kits and nearly 12,000 emergency roofing kits to residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, DHS said. Perhaps the biggest challenge is restoring the electrical grid, which DHS Secretary Elaine Duke said is “virtually gone” in Puerto Rico.

Despite the coordinated response, Congressional leaders insisted the islands need more help.

“The president was talking about the NFL as of Friday and he’s now talking about going to Puerto Rico Tuesday,” Evans said.

“We must keep the pressure on until we address the immediate issues of water and gas, the acceleration of SNAP benefits. We need to hold the president accountable as the chief executive of implementation.”

For Carmona, simply seeing his mother again would be a relief. He intends to fly out on the first commercial flight to Puerto Rico to pick her up and bring her back to Philadelphia.

“I’m going to see her with a ticket in my hand. If we can get out,” he said.

Some flights have already landed in Philadelphia and New Jersey from the hurricane-ravaged island. Philly has yet to receive requests to resettle victims, but Mayor Jim Kenney said he would welcome them with open arms.

“If there are folks that need additional stuff, we’ll address it … by trying to find them a place to live, which we did with [Hurricane] Katrina,” he said.

Puerto Ricans comprise roughly 8 percent of Philadelphia’s total population, according to the 2010 Census. But that number could jump if the city receives requests from the federal government.

Philadelphia “is actively monitoring developments, and prepared to provide assistance via a federal declaration in coordination with Governor Wolf and FEMA,” a spokesperson for Kenney said.

Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez, a North Philadelphia native, has been working alongside Kenney, Evans and Boyle and will add her voice to theirs during a joint news conference Thursday evening. They will be asking Trump to immediately release more funds to FEMA, deploy the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Puerto Rico and waive the Jones Act, which requires only U.S.-made and owned shipping vessels be used.

But for people like Carmona, waiting for Congress to act feels like torture.

"I want her now," he said of his sick mother. "I want her now."

A popping sound caused panic for commuters in Philadelphia Wednesday.

SEPTA's regional rail service was restored after a power outage caused a panic among passengers that led to a shutdown.

SEPTA spokeswoman Heather Refern told NBC10 there was an equipment issue on a train between 30th Street and Suburban stations after an electrical breaker tripped and caused a popping sound.

Passengers on the train then evacuated due to the issue and power was cut to safely get them off the tracks. All of SEPTA's Regional Rail lines were shut down as a result. No injuries were reported. 

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A SEPTA passenger claimed the train lost power and when the power was restored about five minutes later, power lines began to spark which caused some passengers to panic and get off the train.

"They told us there was a spark," said Josh Mann. "There was some smoke. There were some people who started kicking out windows."

The delay kept Mann waiting for an hour and a half.

"I wanted to just get home and see my son by that time he was already sleeping," Mann said.

SkyForce10 and pictures on social media showed several passengers walking down the tracks.

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Regional Rail service was restored around 6:30 p.m. but riders still experienced major delays. SEPTA workers redirected passengers and Transit Police helped them onto platforms. Donte Campbell told NBC10 he waited on the train for an hour before he got to 30th Street Station.

"Everybody was pretty upset they were waiting for so long," Campbell said. "I know some people were just relieved to finally have been rescued."

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Another SEPTA rider claimed the fire alarm went off at Suburban Station during the shutdown. She also said the customer service office announced that the tracks were on fire between Suburban Station and 30th Street Station, creating a mass panic after. SEPTA officials have not confirmed this however.

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SEPTA's General Manager of Operations expects service to be on schedule Thursday morning. He also apologized for the inconvenience. A crew is working to find out what caused the electrical breaker to trip twice.

A big rig crash closed a busy Chester County highway for most of the morning rush Thursday and caused big trouble for Downingtown students trying to catch the bus.

A 2003 Hyundai sedan going westbound in the eastbound lanes of the Route 30 Bypass near Route 282 in East Caln Township slammed into a tractor-trailer around 11 p.m. Wednesday, Pennsylvania State Police said.

The head-on wreck ejected Keith Ream from his car and left him dead at the scene, police said.

The roadway remained closed as of 7 a.m. Thursday as police diverted traffic at Route 322.

The crash investigation and fuel spill, which didn't involve a school bus, caused the Downingtown Area School District to reroute buses leading to delays.

It took drivers more than 30 minutes to go just a mile in the area at one point, district spokeswoman Pat McGlone said.

"Accident on Route 30 is causing a delay in getting our buses out to homes," the district said on its website. "At this time, we do not know what buses are running behind but will update you with that information as we obtain it. We ask for your patience as this situation unfolds."

As of 9:15 a.m., most students were dropped off but the district said some elementary school runs remained delayed.

Some district buses park in a lot adjacent to Downingtown Middle School, next to the bypass.

The district alerted parents and guardians to the delays through its automated system but district officials said they expected the school day to continue with a normal schedule.

The roadway finally reopened around 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

The deadly crash remained under investigation.

An 18-year-old New Jersey student has been missing for a week, police said Wednesday, as his friends took to social media in a desperate effort to find him.

Nicholas Pratico was last seen at 3 p.m. on Sept. 20 at the Mercer County Community College campus in West Windsor, according to Hamilton Police. He is a graduate of Notre Dame High School.

Surveillance images of Pratico at the Mercer County Community College campus were released by police on Wednesday.

Andrew Millin, a friend of Pratico, posted a message to Facebook asking for help in the search. It has been shared more than 19,000 times.

In the post, Millin said his friend may have gone to New York City to audition at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.

Police are asking anyone who was at Mercer County Community College or rode any local public transportation near there on Sept. 20 and recognize the photos of Pratico to call the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at (609) 581-4008.

A favorite event for Eagles fans in fall is tailgating. NBC10's Matt DeLucia dives into what makes it so great.

After a $450,000 donation by Aileen and Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, the Philadelphia School District has reached it's fundraising goal. Comcast is the parent company of NBC10.

Authorities in New Jersey are searching for a New York man who they say was driving an SUV that crashed into a bus stop and killed a woman.

Hudson County prosecutors say 36-year-old Olvy Torres is charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident. They say he fled the scene on foot after the crash occurred around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday in North Bergen and didn't try to help the victim.

The bus stop is in front of Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical Center. Authorities say the woman, 59-year-old Luisa Valdes of Union City, worked at a skilled nursing facility next to the hospital.

"I hope they get this guy," said one person near the medical center. "Who drives this recklessly at 6:30 in the morning?"

No other injuries were reported in the crash. Authorities have not said how many people were at the bus stop when the crash occurred.

Young people who weren't born in America but know no other country fear they could have their protections taken away. NBC10's Laruen Mayk reports.

Telemundo 62's Brian Mendoza tells how the US is helping Puerto Rico with military transports.

After shooting a man going to see his girlfriend in the back, a group of robbers rooted through the possibly paralyzed man's pockets during a crime spree in one Philadelphia neighborhood. 

The men attacked their victim as he tried to flee after the robbery attempt at 54th Street and Warrington Avenue in the Kingsessing section of the city, Lt. John Walker, of Philadelphia Police’s Southwest Detectives, said.

The man said he was walking to see his girlfriend, when three men – at least one with a silver handgun – tried to rob him around midnight, police said early Thursday. As he ran across the intersection, one of the men fired a bullet that struck the victim in the back.

"As he's laying on the ground, they run up to him and they go through his pockets," Walker said.

It wasn't even clear if the robbers – all believed to be between 18 to 25 years old – took anything from the 31-year-old victim who was possibly on his phone talking to his girlfriend at the time, investigators said.

Medics rushed the man to Penn Presbyterian Hospital. The victim had no feeling in his extremities and appeared to be paralyzed, something that is common for someone shot in the back, medics told investigators. Doctors will determine in the coming days if the man will be able to walk again.

The shooting happened as officers were on their way to the report of a pistol-whipping about six blocks away at 58th Street and Kingsessing Avenue around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday. Officers scooped up the pistol-whipping victim, who was "bleeding pretty profusely," and rushed him to the hospital, Walker said.

The man, in his 30s, told investigators that three men matching similar descriptions to the other attack – at least one with a silver handgun – took $50 during the robbery, Walker said.

"It’s a horrible situation here, we’re looking for the public’s help," Walker said.

No word if the trio committed any other crimes during their spree.

Investigators urged anyone with information to call 215-686-TIPS or submit a tip online.

Residents of Puerto Rico are fighting to survive after the chaos Hurricane Maria left in its wake. NBC10's Pamela Osborne has details on what you can do to help the relief efforts.