Disgraced ex-news anchor Frank Somerville arrested twice in one night in California
Former news anchor Frank Somerville, 65, was arrested twice in one night in Berkeley, California, after tussling with his younger brother over their elderly father. The incident occurred Monday night, with Somerville showing up drunk and refusing to leave his father’s home. The altercation left his younger brother Mark with bruises to his face, prompting police to arrest Somerville on suspicion of criminal threats, battery, public intoxication, and probation violation. He was initially placed in Berkeley Jail on $32,500 bond, but was released at 2:20 a.m. Tuesday.
Somerville then returned to his father’s home to retrieve his car, but ended up ringing the doorbell repeatedly in search of his lost phone. At 4:20 a.m., police were called to the scene and found Somerville sitting in his car, intoxicated and displaying signs of drunk driving. He was arrested again, this time on suspicion of DUI and probation violation, and taken to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on $15,000 bail.
Somerville has a history of alcohol abuse and driving while intoxicated. In December 2021, a video went viral after capturing him ramming his Porsche into an Audi in Oakland. He was arrested for driving under the influence and admitted his guilt in a televised interview in March, stating that he got “trashed” and made the “idiotic decision” to drive.
Months before the car crash, Somerville was taken off the air by KTVU after slurring his words during a live news broadcast in May 2021. He claimed that he mistakenly took two Ambien instead of a prescription drug. Following the incident, he went to rehab for nine weeks and returned to his anchor seat in August. However, he was ultimately let go when he and the station disagreed over the coverage of the Gabby Petito case.
FAQs:
Who is Frank Somerville?
Frank Somerville is a former news anchor in the Bay Area of California.
Why was he arrested?
Somerville was arrested twice in one night for suspicion of criminal threats, battery, public intoxication, and probation violation. He was also arrested for DUI.
What was the cause of the altercation with his brother?
According to the Berkley Scanner, the altercation was over “ongoing family issues” surrounding their 91-year-old father.
Has this happened before?
Somerville has a history of alcohol abuse and driving while intoxicated. He was previously arrested for DUI in December 2021 after a car crash in Oakland.
What happened to Somerville’s job after the May 2021 incident?
Somerville was taken off the air and went to rehab for nine weeks. He returned to his anchor seat in August but was ultimately let go when he and the station disagreed over the coverage of the Gabby Petito case.
Is Somerville planning to return to TV news?
During his DUI program, Somerville expressed hope for a return to TV news, stating that he loves what he does and loves anchoring.
Ex-news anchor Frank Somerville, who previously lost his reputation, detained twice on the same night in California.
Former Bay Area news anchor Frank Somerville was arrested twice on Monday night in Berkeley, California in the latest scandal to hit the ex-journalist. According to the Berkley Scanner, Somerville was first arrested after a physical altercation with his brother over ongoing family issues involving their 91-year-old father, whom he allegedly threatened. Somerville was accused of arriving at his father’s house drunk and angry and refusing to leave, which led to the fight that left his brother, Mark, with bruises to his face. Police reportedly arrested Somerville on suspicion of criminal threats, battery, public intoxication, and probation violation. He was taken to Berkley Jail on a $32,500 bond, which he posted and was released at around 2:20 a.m. on Tuesday.
However, Somerville’s troubles did not end there. Shortly after his release, Somerville returned to his father’s house to retrieve his car, which he had left earlier. Police say he came back to the house to look for his phone, which he had lost earlier that evening. Somerville allegedly rang the doorbell repeatedly while searching for his phone, causing the police to be called yet again at around 4:20 a.m. According to reports, the ex-journalist was sitting in his car while intoxicated when the police arrived, and he was arrested again on suspicion of DUI and probation violation. He was taken to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on $15,000 bail and later released.
Somerville, known for his history of alcohol abuse and driving while intoxicated, made headlines in December 2021 when a viral video captured him ramming his Porsche into an Audi in Oakland. He admitted his guilt in March, saying, “I got trashed. I mean, there’s no other way to say it. I got trashed in my apartment and wanted to go to Taco Bell, which is two and a half blocks away from where I live. I made the idiotic decision to drive. I had absolutely no business at all to drive — at all.”
Before the car crash, Somerville was taken off the air by KTVU after he slurred his words during a live 10 p.m. newscast on May 30, 2021. He went to rehab for nine weeks and returned to his anchor seat in August 2021. However, he was ultimately let go when he and the station disagreed over the coverage of the Gabby Petito case. In March of this year, Somerville said he was completing a DUI program and was hoping to return to TV news.