An East Hartford police lieutenant charged with DUI earlier this year was granted a diversionary program on Thursday that could allow him to elude prosecution.
Lt. Joseph Ficacelli was granted the Impaired Driving Intervention Program for one year during a hearing in Rockville Superior Court, where Judge Kathleen McNamara ordered that he only drive with an interlock ignition device while he is enrolled in the program despite her acknowledgement that the requirement could complicate his ability to work as a police officer.
“That’s not my problem,” McNamara said, also ordering that Ficacelli perform 100 hours of community service, attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving Victim Impact Panel and visit an Emergency Room to observe the effects of drunk driving.
If Ficacelli completes all of the requirements and avoids any further arrests during the program, charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and failure to drive in the proper lane will be dismissed on June 5, 2025, according to court records.
East Hartford PD lieutenant, recently retired sergeant charged with driving under the influence
Officer Marc Caruso, spokesperson for the East Hartford Police Department, said Ficacelli was issued a 30-day suspension without pay following an Internal Affairs investigation stemming from his arrest. Caruso said he was also removed from the Criminal Investigation Division, the honor guard and his role as officer in charge of the Traffic Unit, and that the suspension is expected to end on June 17.
As to the judge’s ruling that Ficacelli not operate a vehicle for the next year without an interlock ignition device, Caruso said he had “nothing to comment.”
Ficacelli and recently retired East Hartford Police Sgt. Robert Pronovost were both arrested Jan. 28 shortly before 12:30 a.m. after Connecticut State Police troopers responded to reports of a vehicle driving erratically on Billings Road in Somers.
Pronovost and Ficacelli were both in a vehicle that was stopped by troopers, though there was initially some confusion about who was driving, state police said. Witnesses reported seeing the driver and passenger of the car switch seats before interacting with troopers.
Body camera footage of the arrest showed Ficacelli deny to troopers that he was driving, telling them multiple times that his friend was driving.
Both men were arrested, though Ficacelli later admitted in court proceedings that he was initially the driver.
He apologized while addressing the court on Thursday and said he would use the incident as a learning experience.
“I know better,” Ficacelli said. “My decision making was poor that evening.”
Pronovost of Bristol was also charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as state police at the time of the arrest said they were not able to determine which man was driving and arrested both men. At the time, he had recently retired as a sergeant from the East Harford Police Department.
Judicial Branch records reviewed Friday showed Pronovost does not have a pending case. The disposition to his matter was not immediately clear.
