DUI Arrest, Crash: Ex-Joliet City Manager Jim Capparelli Charged

JOLIET, IL — Three months after parting ways with the city of Joliet, ex-city manager Jim Capparelli was taken into custody by Joliet police officers late Tuesday night following a crash in the Cunningham Neighborhood. Joliet police cited the 62-year-old lawyer and retired U.S. Army colonel with driving under the influence, and he was given a traffic citation for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Capparelli was released from the downtown police station and given a notice to appear at the Will County Courthouse on the DUI charge.

Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English said the following events led to Capparelli's arrest:

• At 10:28 p.m., officers responded to the area of North Hickory Street and Moran Street for a crash.
• A Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Capparelli, and a Chevrolet Malibu driven by a 24-year-old woman who lives in Joliet collided while both vehicles were southbound on North Hickory Street.
• The front driver’s side portion of the Cherokee struck the passenger side of the young woman's Malibu. No injuries were reported from the crash.
• Police said officers determined that Capparelli appeared to be exhibiting behaviors consistent with alcohol impairment. Capparelli refused to conduct field sobriety tests, and he was placed into custody without incident.