April 10--A man who was fatally shot in January by his brother-in-law, a Rosemont police officer, had tried to choke and threatened to kill the officer just before the shooting, according to a police report released Thursday.
New details of the case were released by Illinois State Police after the agency concluded its investigation into the death of Joseph Caffarello, who was shot by off-duty police Officer Rick Drehobl.
According to the state police report, Drehobl and fellow Rosemont police Officer Eric Herrera, also off-duty, went to Caffarello's home about noon Jan. 7 at the request of Drehobl's father, retired Rosemont police Capt. Richard Drehobl.
The elder Drehobl was concerned about the well-being of Caffarello and his wife, Deanna, who is Drehobl's daughter, because Caffarello was "still extremely upset" about having been pulled over that morning by another Rosemont officer, according to a search warrant request. Caffarello was making threats against Rosemont police officers and Richard Drehobl's family, the report said.
According to the report, Deanna Caffarello later told authorities that her husband was also "in an agitated state" that day "because he was trying to get some pain medications such as Vicodin, hydrocodone and oxycodone." She told police that her husband "has been addiction to pain medications for the past several years" and had been up since 4 a.m. that day trying to locate some pain pills. She said he succeeded at around 9 a.m., and she saw him take about eight pills, the report said.
When the off-duty officers arrived at the Caffarellos' home in a gated community, Deanna Caffarello came out carrying her husband's handgun and gave it to Rick Drehobl, the report continues. While he secured the gun in his car, Herrera entered the house to talk to Joseph Caffarello.
When Drehobl entered the house, he saw Herrera and Caffarello in a physical altercation, the report said. Drehobl broke up the fight and Herrera left, saying Caffarello was out of control and Herrera, described in the report as Caffarello's best friend, didn't want to deal with him anymore.
Caffarello and Drehobl then got into a physical altercation, with Caffarello grabbing Drehobl by the throat, leaving visible neck marks, according to the report. Deanna Caffarello broke up the fight, at which point her husband asked for his gun. Drehobl then left with Deanna Caffarello and the Caffarellos' toddler son.
At 12:08 p.m., Drehobl called Rosemont police and asked that "a few" squad cars be sent over because he and Herrera were "having a problem" there with Joseph Caffarello, according to the report.
Drehobl, Deanna Caffarello and the boy got into Drehobl's car and drove away. Joseph Caffarello followed in another car. A retired Rosemont police chief who was passing by reported seeing Joseph Caffarello's car swerve into an oncoming lane and hit Drehobl's car while it was stopped, the report said.
Drehobl then got out of his car and approached the other vehicle. Caffarello got out and approached Drehobl, saying, "I'm going to kill you," according to the police report.
Drehobl fired a shot, striking Caffarello in the chest. He fell to the ground. Responding officers arrived, took Drehobl's gun, called for an ambulance and began CPR on Caffarello, the report said.
Rosemont paramedics took Caffarello to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he was pronounced dead at 12:45 p.m.
Drehobl had been placed on paid desk duty pending the investigation but returned to patrol duty last week, after the office of Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez announced that there would be no criminal charges filed against Drehobl.
The state police report repeatedly refers to Drehobl as the "victim" in the case and Caffarello as the "suspect."
Among the items found in Joseph Caffarello's car and home after the shooting were bottles of the painkillers oxycodone and hydrocodone, some empty; a prescription bottle with an unknown white powdery sbstance in his top dresser drawer; and a half-full bottle of "Withdrawl Ease," the report said.
rmccoppin@tribpub.com
