Burr Ridge Eatery Owner, Ex-Official Clash: Cops

BURR RIDGE, IL — A Burr Ridge restaurant owner and a former village official earlier this month exchanged words near the restaurant in the presence of a police officer, police said.

Former Trustee Zach Mottl told Capri Ristorante customers in the outdoor dining area about owner Filippo "Gigi" Rovito's criminal record, while Rovito suggested that Mottl needed a beating as a police officer listened. This is according to a police report that Patch obtained Thursday through a public records request.

Word of the Aug. 5 confrontation became public a few days later when Trustee Guy Franzese said at a public meeting that a representative of nearby Capri Express, which has different owners, was involved in an incident with another business, presumably Capri Ristorante. It happened at County Line Square, where both restaurants are.

Police said a representative of Capri Express was interviewed, but the report gave no indication the eatery was involved. Franzese declined to comment Friday.

Late the morning of Aug. 5, Mottl showed up at Village Hall to complain about what he considered code violations with the planned Are We Live lounge, which Rovito also owns. Mottl followed a police officer to County Line Square to point out the issues.

When they arrived, Mottl tugged on the doors to Are We Live, police said. Rovito and his wife then showed up, asking what was going on. Mottl and Rovito argued. Mottl accused Rovito of being a rapist and sex offender, citing his criminal history, police said.

"How does a felon get a liquor license?" Mottl said, according to the report.

Rovito responded, "You need an ass beating."

Mottl said he wanted to sign a complaint against Rovito for threatening him.

But the officer said Rovito did not directly threaten Mottl. The officer said he stood with his arms out to keep space between the men.

Mottl turned to leave, with his left hand hitting the officer's left arm, causing Mottl's phone to drop, police said.

"Why did you do that?" Mottl was quoted in the report.

The officer picked up Mottl's phone, but found no damage.

According to the report, Mottl said, "Is that how it's going to be? We're just going to leave it at that."

Then Mottl walked to the outdoor dining area and told diners about Rovito's criminal record and filmed them, police said.

According to the report, a woman told police that she was working at Capri Ristorante when Mottl began causing a disturbance. She described Mottl as erratic and feared he would return with a gun, police said. She said others, including those working on the renovation at Are We Live, were frightened. Police said no one else informed them of their fears.

An officer said he later called a representative of Capri Express, likely one of the co-owners, Phil or Vito Salamone. The representative said he saw the incident from his location, but was not involved, police said. When he was asked whether he called Mottl before the incident, he declined to answer, according to the report.

The officer told the representative to call the police or Village Hall if he suspected code violations. The representative said that taking such action would not help because Rovito was "untouchable" due to his friendship with Mayor Gary Grasso, police said. The officer assured the representative that Rovito was not untouchable.

The woman who complained about Mottl to police provided three videos. In one, an officer said Mottl appeared to be "calmly" walking to the tent before speaking with customers and taking video or photos of them, the report said.

Evan Walter, the village's interim administrator, later told police that he found no code violations.

Patch sent messages Friday morning to both Mottl and Rovito about the police report. In an email, Mottl said he generally agreed with the police account, but he remembered Rovito saying, "You need a f------ beating, Zach Mottl."

Mottl agreed with the officer that the phone issue was an accident.

"He bumped into me as he was gesturing and encouraging me to leave and knocked the phone out of my hand," Mottl said.

Mottl disputed the account from the woman associated with Rovito.

"(The) account is RIDICULOUS and not even close to the truth," Mottle said in the email. "I’m laughing at the nonsensical claim that they are afraid of ME... They are clearly trying to get the police to come after me and after their competition, Capri Express/Salamone."

Rovito, who has not returned messages about the incident, could not be reached for immediate comment Friday.

According to Burr Ridge police, Rovito is a convicted felon with multiple convictions. Court records show the victim of the 17-year-old Rovito's 1991 sex crime was a 14-year-old girl. He was released from prison in 2002 after about five years, according to a 2013 memo from Police Chief John Madden.

Mottl and Grasso are political rivals, with Grasso having defeated Mottl in the 2019 mayoral race. Grasso-endorsed candidates ousted Mottl in the April election.

Rovito has close ties to Grasso. Four years ago, Rovito gave $5,000 to Grasso for Grasso's ill-fated campaign for attorney general. Grasso returned the money after the contribution became controversial.

Grasso also has served as Rovito's lawyer in a number of instances, including zoning issues before the village, though not while Grasso has been mayor. A plate at Capri Ristorante is named in Grasso's honor.

Franzese, who said Capri Express was involved in the Aug. 5 confrontation, was endorsed by Grasso for re-election. Franzese convinced his colleagues to delay Capri Express' request for an awning, saying he wanted a report on the County Line Square incident.