AN axed news anchor known for his “drunken rampages” has been arrested for allegedly choking his daughter during a “brutal fight over money”.
Photographs show former KTVU anchor Frank Somerville, 67, sporting bloody cuts on his face following the altercation at his home.
Frank Somerville pictured with his daughter Callie, whom he fought with on Monday[/caption]
The former KTVU anchorman was left with a bloodied face after the alleged row[/caption]
He reportedly wrestled his 20-year-old daughter Callie Somerville to the floor and gripped her neck so tightly that she nearly lost consciousness, police said.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the row broke out around 5:45 p.m. on Monday when Callie arrived at the shamed ex-anchorman’s North Oakland home, upset that her bank account was overdrawn.
The alleged fight escalated when Callie tried to take her father’s phone after he asked her to leave, sources close to the investigation claim.
The Oakland Police Department told SFGate it is investigating a reported assault but declined to name any of the people involved.
It’s believed the fight broke out after Callie arrived at her father’s North Oakland home, upset that her bank account was overdrawn[/caption]
Somerville was booked into Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, California on Monday evening[/caption]
However, Somerville quickly took to social media to blame Callie for the incident, labelling her a “full-blown weed addict in withdrawal”.
He posted on Facebook, “I PRAY my daughter goes into treatment. I’ll leave it at that.”
Once Callie, a licensed security guard, left her dad’s home, Somerville called his ex-wife, who allegedly asked him to come to her house “because she was scared that [their daughter] was going to try to hurt her too”, the New York Post reported.
Cops were waiting for Somerville when he arrived at his ex’s after Callie apparently reported the brawl.
Somerville told police his daughter punched and scratched him, at which point he tackled her to the floor[/caption]
He claimed Callie told police that she didn’t want to press charges.
According to Somerville’s account to police, his daughter punched and scratched him, at which point he tackled her to the floor and placed one hand on her neck and the other over her mouth to stop her from screaming.
But Callie claimed she only acted in self-defense, telling officers that her father was the aggressor.
Somerville was booked into Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, California on Monday evening.
He was quickly released on bail, according to Alameda County Sheriff’s Office inmate records.
Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is now reviewing the case.
Frank’s Wild Years
Over the years, former KTVU anchorman Frank Somerville has found himself in trouble with the law on several occasions following drunken episodes
- In 2021, he crashed his Porsche into another car a few blocks from his home. The other driver was taken to the hospital, and Somerville was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence.
- In August 2022, Somerville pleaded no contest to the DUI charge and was ordered to attend DUI classes. He was also sentenced to three years’ probation
- He was axed from KTVU after rebuffing his boss’ orders by adding commentary about the disparities in media coverage of Black and White crime victims to the network’s coverage of the Gabby Petito case
Somerville has a history of being in trouble with the law, with many past incidents linked to his admitted struggle with alcoholism.
In June 2023, Somerville was arrested twice within nine hours following confrontations with relatives at a house in Berkeley.
Cops said the first arrest followed a fight in which Somerville battered his brother, while the second came when he was found in his car while clearly drunk.
Then, in 2021, he crashed his Porsche into another car a few blocks from his home.
As the other driver was taken to hospital, Somerville was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence.
He was given a breathalyzer test, which showed his blood alcohol level was .24 at the time of the crash, which is three times the legal limit, records show.
In August 2022, Somerville pleaded no contest to the charge and was ordered to attend DUI classes. He was also sentenced to three years of probation, which ended this year.
Just weeks after the crash, KTVU let his contract expire, marking the end of his 31-year career with the FOX-affiliated station.
