$1 million cash bond set for suspect in killing outside of Madison bar

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Bond was set at $1 million Thursday for the suspect accused of killing a man outside of a Madison bar last week.

Caleb Dimaggio, 23, is accused of first-degree intentional homicide for the fatal shooting outside of the Badger Tavern. Dimaggio appeared in Dane County Circuit Court Thursday for his initial appearance. If he posts bond, there are several conditions he will have to abide by. This includes not leaving Wisconsin, not consuming or possessing alcohol, and not possessing any type of dangerous weapon.

According to a criminal complaint, officers arrived around 12:15 a.m. May 5 to the Badger Tavern in the 1600 block of Seminole Highway for the report of someone who was shot in the chest in the parking lot. Police attempted life saving efforts on the victim until fire personnel arrived to take over. The 44-year-old victim, later identified as Jason Pritchard, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The complaint states that Dimaggio and a woman were standing together near the porch when police walked over and asked them who shot the victim. Officers recalled that the woman said something to the effect of “he did it.” Police reported Dimaggio said “he would not ‘fight me.’”

The complaint details that police asked Dimaggio where the gun was. Dimaggio told police it was on the ground west of where they were standing and officers observed him appearing to cry, according to the complaint. The complaint recalled him saying he was sorry, and then officers took him into custody. An officer said she heard Dimaggio say repeatedly the he was sorry and something to the effect of that he was in fear of his life and that he shot the man in the heart.

Police spoke with witnesses in an attempt to determine what led up to the shooting. According to the complaint, someone working behind the bar told police she heard the gunshot, but thought at the time that it was a table that had fallen over. She went outside and saw Dimaggio, the woman standing with Dimaggio and the victim outside. She told police she heard Dimaggio say “I shot him in the heart. He’s dead and I shot him in the heart.”

Another witness told police he had just met Dimaggio at the bar that evening and that Dimaggio seemed “amped up,” according to the complaint. As they spoke outside, the complaint states that Dimaggio told the witness he had a gun to protect his girlfriend. The witness went back inside and said he was talking to another person when Dimaggio’s girlfriend came inside and told him Dimaggio wanted to speak to him. The complaint states that the witness went back outside and heard a shot fired. The witness said he didn’t realize anyone had been shot, nor did he observe a disturbance.

The witness told police he wanted to get away from the situation regardless and went back inside of the bar, not realizing someone had been shot until someone else said so. The witness told a detective that he thought the suspect and victim were standing about 3-4 feet apart and that the victim did not seem panicked in any way.

The officer believed Dimaggio showed signs of impairment and a breath test was conducted at MPD Midtown District. Around 1:13 am., Dimaggio allegedly registered a .221 blood alcohol concentration. A second test around three minutes later put him at .207, according to the complaint.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on May 23.

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