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On Tuesday, June 6, former KTVU anchor Frank Somerville was arrested for an alleged probation violation. As per the SF Chronicle, Somerville was arrested twice overnight. The first arrest was for alcohol-related charges, whereas the second was for driving under the influence of alcohol, which was a violation of probation.
Trigger warning: This article concerns a drunk driving investigation, the reader's discretion is advised
Frank Somerville was previously on probation for an incident that occurred in December 2021, when he was arrested for driving under the influence after an automobile collision. The incident came after a series of other controversies, which led to his suspension and eventual termination from KTVU. He has not yet commented on the most recent allegations.
The downfall of KTVU star anchor Frank Somerville
Born in 1958, Frank Somerville started with KTVU as an intern in 1981, when he was approximately 23. After experiences at other local stations and broadcasting companies, he became a co-anchor for KTVU's morning news program in 1992.
In 2021, after almost two decades as a KTVU anchor, Frank Somerville faced his first major controversy. He took a personal leave of absence after an on-air incident in which he struggled to read his lines. Many speculated that he was drunk at the time and may be facing substance abuse issues. He returned to his position on August 4, 2021.
However, in September 2021, he was suspended due to how he wanted to approach the case of Gabby Petito, a woman who went missing in August 2021. Somerville wanted to talk about how white victims, such as Petito, received more attention from the media than victims of color. KTVU objected to this approach and suspended him.
On December 30, 2021, Frank Somerville was involved in a non-fatal car accident. Upon investigating the incident, authorities determined that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time. In January 2022, he stated that KTVU had not renewed his contract and that he would be leaving the station indefinitely.
In a statement, Somerville said that he had turned to alcohol and prescription drugs after suffering from mental health issues.
He said:
“So I tried to deal with it on my own. Prescription drugs. Alcohol. It was the worst decision I ever made but I felt that I had no other choice. I was just totally stuck."
In March 2023, he told Kron reporter Pam Moore that he had only had alcohol once in the last six to eight months. Somerville received a probationary period following the arrest on December 30, 2021. The recent arrest indicates that he may continue to struggle with substance abuse. In the wake of the incident, he was taken to Berkeley jail.
