19 Facts About Carl Drega

Carl Drega was an American spree killer who killed four people in Colebrook, New Hampshire, on August 19,1997.

Carl Drega shot and killed two New Hampshire state troopers, a judge and a newspaper editor in Colebrook.

Carl Drega wounded four law enforcement officers before being shot to death in a gunfight with police in Bloomfield, Vermont.

Carl Drega was born on January 19,1935, in New Haven, Connecticut, to Polish immigrants.

Carl Drega claimed to have served in the US military during the Korean War.

Carl Drega later worked in construction and lived in Manchester, New Hampshire, later moving into a home in Bow, New Hampshire, he built for himself and his wife Rita from 1969 to 1970.

Carl Drega had a long history of conflict with government officials over code enforcement issues, starting in the 1970s over whether he could use tar paper to side his vacation house in Columbia, New Hampshire, on the banks of the Connecticut River.

Carl Drega claimed that, in 1981, a rainstorm caused 80 feet of the riverbank to collapse.

Carl Drega decided to dump and pack enough dirt to repair the erosion damage, saying this would restore his lot to its original size.

State officials, on the other hand, contested that Carl Drega was trying to change the course of the river.

Carl Drega bought a Colt AR-15 rifle and armored vest, and began equipping his property with early-warning electronic noise and motion detectors.

Carl Drega got out of his truck with his rifle and fired upon Trooper Phillips, who was hit but returned fire before retreating into a nearby field.

Trooper Leslie Lord pulled into the LaPerle's parking lot moments later, and from approximately 150 feet away, Carl Drega shot and killed Lord before he could get out of his police car.

Carl Drega then stole Phillips' police car, and drove to the office of Colebrook District Court judge Vickie Bunnell.

Carl Drega shot Bunnell in the back from a range of about 30 feet, killing her.

Carl Drega returned to his property and set his house on fire.

Carl Drega turned and crossed the state line to Bloomfield, Vermont, exited the police car and fired upon Saunders.

Carl Drega set up his last stand on a dead end road on the Vermont side of the river.

Carl Drega sprang his ambush, shooting NH state trooper Jeffrey Caulder in the lower abdomen, NH state trooper Robert Haase in the foot, and US Border Patrol agent John Pfeifer in the chest.