WebOccupation (s) Journalist and news anchor. The San Jose Mercury News said multiple police and media sources confirmed Somerville was the one arrested after a Porsche allegedly driven by Somerville rear ended another car around 7:45 p.m. San Mateo, CA 94403-5007. Multiple police and media sources confirmed Somerville was the one arrested. posting on Facebook and heads to Gods Gym, where he works out three times a week with a few others (myself included) and with a personal trainer,Gary Shields. I come with a background. In a shocking Somerville was arrested on suspicion of DUI, sources said. In a May broadcast of KTVUs 10 p.m. news program, Somerville was recorded slurring his words and abruptly left midbroadcast with no explanation. 6:30 p.m. History of Steph Curry vs. LeBron James in NBA playoffs:, Caught on Video: French bulldog stolen during smash-and-grab, Mountain View police arrest 24-year-old in stabbing, 1 killed, 1 injured in Fremont motorcycle versus, Warriors-Lakers playoff series: Start times, TV schedule, Steph Curry drops 50 points, Warriors beat Kings, Celebrity sightings: Arik Armstead, Hasan Minhaj, 2 men charged for stealing, burglary during NFL Draft, As fans protest at Coliseum in first game since, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day. Somerville displayed symptoms of driving under the influence of alcohol, with bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person. After a field sobriety test showed signs of impairment, the documents said, two separate breathalyzer tests found that Somerville had blood alcohol levels of 0.239% and 0.219%. Local | This mysterious Bay Area beach is covered in broken ceramicsFood | Is San Francisco tiki bar the Tonga Room actually good?Culture| This SF restaurant was the blueprint for Bobs Burgers'Music| Nirvana's Cow Palace show was once panned. But for some reason, I was suspended over that. I was close to as comatose as you can be, he said. "It all came to a head when I got the DUI," Somerville said. But, because I live so close to work, I will take city streets home just to stretch out the drive. "It was Christmastime. And that Im going to do all I can do to defend myself and not be a victim. Then in December 2021, a video surfaced of him crashing his black Porsche, and he was charged with two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol. Dan Gentile is the culture editor at SFGATE. Always "STAGGER" Your Intersection Turns - Safe Left Turn At Intersection Yellow Light, Canada, George Barris built Mazda RX7 listed on Mecums Kissimmee Auction is not a real The Fast and the Furious movie car. Bay Area TV anchor Frank Somerville arrested on, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Bay Area TV anchor Frank Somerville arrested on suspicion of DUI after crash in Oakland, Fremont: Hit-and-run collision suspect taken into custody, Person robbed at bus stop near UC Berkeley campus, Woman killed, man injured in Oakland shootings, Santa Rita Jail inmate dies after being found sick in his cell, East Bay carjacking suspect adds to long list of trouble with second arrest in two days. He is extremely sorry to the person he hit and has provided all information to his insurance company to cover the other drivers losses. TV news anchor Frank Somerville admits he was on Whats for breakfast? Frank Somerville Ive always thought the 911 turbo is one of the most beautiful cars ever. Somerville says. East Bay carjacking suspect adds to long list of trouble with second arrest in two days shockingly San Francisco station KRON interview,Somerville admitted to past problems It was just a really sad time, and so I gotI got trashed. His contract with the station expired in 2022. A search-warrant obtained blood sample later yielded a result of .24 blood-alcohol content. Kevin@KevinWingABC, 4317 Camden Avenue Think outside the box this Mothers Day and opt for gifts other than flowers and chocolate. By George Kelly | gkelly@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group OAKLAND The Alameda County District Attorneys Office has filed two misdemeanor charges against former KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville in connection with his arrest late last year on suspicion of driving under the influence, authorities said. You either care or you dont. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? He is also regional vice president, representing San Francisco, on the Board of Governors of the San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and serves as editor of Off Camera. Somerville has had a tumultuous year. https://t.co/LPhWcLtvzF pic.twitter.com/JQKekShtaJ, The anchor said that hed spent much of the evening drinking himself into a near-stupor. It was a claim he reiterated on Wednesday in his KRON4 interview. And then, I checked our krav and found out how much more practical it is. Person robbed at bus stop near UC Berkeley campus (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.). Longtime KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville The investigation in ongoing, police said. OAKLAND One-time KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of driving under the influence following a crash in downtown Courtesy KTVU. Frank Somerville Two of the most widely circulated witness videos are provided below. Frank Somerville interview: Former anchor speaks up for Opinion: How could the As ungrateful owner do this to us? (The legal limit in California is 0.08 percent.). Frank Somerville divorce from television producer Donna Wright Somerville after over 20 years of marriage has been a topic of I swear when I first got the car, I wanted to sleep in the garage just so I could look at it.. According to a police statement in charging documents obtained Thursday, officers responded to Broadway and West Grand Avenue at about 8:20 p.m. Dec. 30, 2021 for a vehicle collision. Years active. New Off Camera series:This is the first in a recurring Off Camera series we call Day in the Life. My feeling is its important to have interaction, he says. OAKLAND The Alameda County District Attorneys Office has filed two misdemeanor charges against former KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville in connection with his arrest late last year on suspicion of driving under the influence, authorities said. SAN FRANCISCO ( KRON) In an exclusive TV interview, renowned Bay Area news anchor Frank Somerville sat down with KRON4s Pam Moore for nearly 30 Somerville arrives at the stations Jack London Square studios. Woman killed, man injured in Oakland shootings It was not known immediately when that court appearance will be. He is still the same as he was back in 1992, when we first met at KTVU. Hes burning rubber.. Veteran anchor Frank Somerville returned to the KTVU anchor desk Wednesday, after a long absence. These cookies do not store any personal information. Tweet Think this is an AE86? 11 p.m. Following the impact, the driver got out of his car and Frank carried on driving his black Porsche hitting yet another car, an Audi sedan ramming it into a pole. Driver one, suspected to be Somerville, in the Porsche rear-ended driver two and proceeded to push into driver twos car, which crashed into a pole on the corner of the intersection. Officers who spoke with Somerville said he exhibited symptoms of being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage: bloodshot/watery eyes, thick/slurred speech, and odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person.. Frank Somerville had a rough 2021and hes finally ready to talk about it on camera. Frank Somerville alleged DUI witness videos. The driver of the Audi stepped out before Somerville pushed the vehicle across the intersection with his car before ramming it into a light pole, according to documents provided to SFGATE by the district attorneys office. News Anchor Frank Somerville Says He Was Trashed on DUI Taco Bell Run, This Is Make or Break Time for Desperate Vladimir Putin, Head of Mexican migration authority charged over deadly Juarez fire, Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket, King Charles settles into life as monarch, after long wait, Chinas peace envoy to Ukraine has close ties to Russia. I was away from my family. Hes been with the Oakland FOX O&O since 1992. Hes a proud Bay Area native. He had previously posted about the events on social media and spoken with the San Francisco Chronicle, but had not yet given a television interview. WebVeteran Bay Area television news anchor Frank Somerville said he was trashed when he crashed his Porsche into another driver in 2021, but denied he was drunk on another I had absolutely no business at all to driveat all, he told KRON4, adding later that he wishes he could apologize to the other driver, who was slightly injured in the crash. Veteran Bay Area television news anchor Frank Somerville said he was trashed when he crashed his Porsche into another driver in 2021, but denied he was The anchor went on to acknowledge long-standing issues with substance abuse, saying hed used drugs and alcohol almost every night at the height of his addiction. He has been taking many steps to address the circumstances that led to this case, including attending meetings and working on himself so that nothing like this ever happens again, Dugan said. Or, even a news anchor, such as who we are featuring this month in KTVUsFrank Somerville. For those interested, Somerville has talked about his love for Porsche on his official Facebook. Wrote the Book. By Narendra Rijal March 30, 2023. Thanks to Steph Currys 50-point day, Warriors beat the Kings in Game 7 to advance. Bay Area News Anchor Frank Somerville Arrested on DUI Thats when I decided I was either going to learn it, or I wasnt, he says. In June 2021, though, he gave a broadcast in which he noticeably slurred his words, leading to a viral clip, national headlines, and a leave of absence. We hope you will enjoy this new series. I keep my eye on different websites One of the most modest, most humble human beings I know, Somerville is dead serious. The veteran Bay Area newsman, whose awful year culminated in drunkenly slamming his Porsche into another vehicle on Dec. 30, sat down with San Francisco outlet KRON4 to speak for nearly 30 minutes about the months leading up to the crash. It all came to a head when I got the DUI, he said. Veteran anchor back on air after abrupt departure and 9-week absence. There was no reason for it other than she was a cute white kid. On Tuesday, the district attorneys office charged Somerville with driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08, with an added clause for having a level over .15. Somerville, now 64, was arrested at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 30 in the 2200 block of Broadway following a collision between his 2014 Porsche 911 and a silver Audi, Since 2008, he has been anchoring KTVUs 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts as well as its flagship 10 p.m. show. At that point, Somerville stopped driving; police arrived a short time later. And I was scared to ask for help. Alameda County DA charges former TV anchor, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Alameda County DA charges former TV anchor Frank Somerville with DUIs, Fremont: Hit-and-run collision suspect taken into custody, Person robbed at bus stop near UC Berkeley campus, Woman killed, man injured in Oakland shootings, Santa Rita Jail inmate dies after being found sick in his cell, East Bay carjacking suspect adds to long list of trouble with second arrest in two days. As for his future, Somerville said, he may try teaching, or go back to television news, though he acknowledged that a return may not be totally up to him. Frank Somerville Frank Somerville I watch our noon news every day so that I know what stories were covering. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. His wife of 22 years,Donna, is already out the door by 7 a.m. to takeSydney, their 15-year-old daughter, to school. I still, to this day, am not sure why.. KTVU anchor Frank Somerville was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of driving under the influence after a car crash in Oakland. Thanks to Steph Currys 50-point day, Warriors beat the Kings in Game 7 to advance. After the initial collision, the other driver exited their vehicle, and Somerville proceeded through the intersection, pushing the other vehicle into a pole on the southeast corner of the intersection. His first newscast of the evening. Somerville, who has a Black daughter, wanted to add a 46-second tag to an update on the Petito story that recognized the racially disproportionate media coverage of Black and white crime victims. Anyone with information should contact the Oakland Police Department Traffic Investigation Unit at (510) 777-8570. Multiple news stations report former KTVU TV news anchor Frank Somerville was involved in a crash earlier late Thursday night. Somerville is a longtime anchor at KTVU, owned by Fox, but he has not appeared on-air in several months. I am authentic, and people see that in me, he adds. Frank Somerville Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. He says theres really nothing special about it. My whole objective is to know whats going on and being up to speed. After exiting the vehicle, Somerville proceeds to give it some gas, pushing the other drivers Audi even further. Gone are the days of waking up at 3 a.m. to work the dawn patrol. 8 p.m. In June 2021, he was seen on air slurring his words, and KTVU announced he'd be leaving the show for a time to focus on his health. Staff writers Harry Harris and Rick Hurd contributed to this report. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. I still, to this day, am not sure why.. The Alameda County District Attorneys Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE. In a Facebook post reflecting on the situation more than a year later, Somerville claimed for the first time that as messed up as I was I didnt drink on the air. Instead, he said, hed accidentally taken two powerful sleeping pills. In a statement Thursday afternoon, Somervilles attorney Shannan Dugan acknowledged the charges. Somerville was transported to an area hospital for treatment and later taken to Santa Rita Jail and booked on DUI charges. I was close to as comatose as you can be, he said. I am constantly looking online to see whats going on in the world, Somerville says. She works out, too. SF tourists go in droves to In-N-Out. He has worked as an online coordinator and, before that, a copy editor and page designer for Bay Area-based newspapers and magazines. The longtime news anchor faced a rocky 2021. Somerville, driving a 2014 Porsche 911, rear-ended a silver Audi. According to The Chronicle, the driver of the Audi S4 was stopped at a red light when he was rammed from behind by Somervilles Porsche. Its a work in progress, he added. There is no time for chit chat. Frank Somerville alleged DUI witness videos - Alt Car news The man knows his stuff. Longtime Bay Area News Anchor Frank Somerville Charged With Frank Somerville had a rough 2021and hes finally ready to talk about it on camera. Concord: Man killed in 4:30 a.m. solo crash on I-680, Berkeley to spend quarter-million for first 24-hour public bathroom, Tucker Carlson: How early rejection by hippie San Francisco mom made him shameless, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. By this time, hes finished proofing scripts and has some time to answer Somerville takes these charges very seriously. Sometimes, Ill have a bowl or cereal, or toast with peanut butter. He also takes time to read some of the comments and replies to his popular Facebook posts. And, for 30 minutes, he puts Somerville and the others through a rapid-fire mix of various strength conditioning workouts. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The request was denied by KTVU news director Amber Eikel, who called the tagline inappropriate, a source told SFGATE in September, leading to criticism from the Oakland chapter of the NAACP. I want people to know that I've put in a lot of really hard work, that I take this really seriously, and that I, in my opinion, have come out the other side as a better person and that I'm going to continue to get better," Somerville said. You cant fake caring. Somerville has been a longtime anchor at KTVU FOX 2 but has not appeared on-air in several months. Rick Hurd has been a breaking news reporter for the Bay Area News Group since 2011. The man is popular. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Copyright 2023 NATAS San Francisco / Northern California. [1] During his three decades at KTVU in Oakland, California, Somerville received three Emmy Awards, including one for best on-camera news anchor. Longtime KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville was arrested in Oakland Nothing has changed. After the collision, the driver of the car that had been hit exited the vehicle, police said. Concord: Man killed in 4:30 a.m. solo crash on I-680, Berkeley to spend quarter-million for first 24-hour public bathroom, Tucker Carlson: How early rejection by hippie San Francisco mom made him shameless, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Ever. For Somerville, heres his formula to get the day going. For a while, his fate seemed suspended, but in November, Somerville told the Bay Area News Group that he was never going to anchor at KTVU again. https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/frank-s-crash/237476/, Previous dui driver killer kills again in another dui related crash this time her own cousin, DSNY employee arrested for DUI after crash, KTVU vid of brazen hold up at El Cerrito Little Caesar's store, Singer Bobby Brown Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI. What does that mean for Calif.? It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Witnesses told officers that Somerville's vehicle collided with another car from behind. KTVU anchor Frank Somerville was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of driving under the influence after a car crash in Oakland. Frank Somerville Witnesses at the scene told The Chronicle they banged on the drivers side door, managed to get in, unfastened Somervilles seat belt and shut off the ignition. Because Mr. Somervilles case is pending, he cannot personally comment at this time, but he takes full responsibility for what happened that night.. Somerville described wanting to go to Taco Bell, which was two blocks from his apartment. Opinion: How could the As ungrateful owner do this to us? Hell do it again at 6 p.m. Frank Somerville, former network news anchor at KTVU, has given his first television interview since leaving the station in 2021. Its all about self-defense, Somerville says. 1 anchorman, a lot of people would beg to differ with him that his life is anything but ordinary. News anchor Frank Somerville arrested after DUI KTVUs Frank Somerville DUI Car Crash In Downtown With the show over, Somerville heads back to his desk. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Paulo Acoba is the person who pays the hosting & writes the words. Off work, he enjoys playing in bands, busking and karaoke. I am also looking for story ideas when Im at my desk. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. By Kevin Wing The driver of the Audi stepped out before Somerville pushed the vehicle across the intersection Then, a month later, came the crash. anchor Frank Somerville arrested for suspected DUI He also was off the air for much of the summer following a now-infamous May 30 newscast, when he repeatedly slurred and stumbled over his words and appeared to have trouble reading off the teleprompter. Fremont: Hit-and-run collision suspect taken into custody He had always wanted to learn some form of martial arts when he was younger. ContactGeorge Kelly at 408-859-5180. So, whats an average day like for the multi-Emmy Award-winning Somerville? It all came to a head when I got the DUI, he said. Somerville has absolutely no recollection of the accident, he told KRON4. And, practically all of the time, he is writing about something engaging and certainly interesting, as opposed to, say, taking a snapshot of his breakfast or lunch, or posting selfies. A.I. OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) KRON4 sources have confirmed that Bay Area TV news anchor Frank Somerville was involved in a crash late Thursday night in downtown Oakland. George Kelly is a breaking news reporter for the Bay Area News Group's East Bay Times and Mercury News. El Nio is likely coming back. He is a graduate of Bowie State University in Maryland with a BS degree in communications. Frank Somerville Hell do it And the sound of the engine. It was a claim he reiterated on Wednesday in his KRON4 interview. Story and Photographs This Walking Pad treadmill made getting 10,000 steps a Dyson's air purifying headphones have finally arrived, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). He grew up in the Los Angeles area, went to UC Berkeley and has previously worked as a news reporter at USA Today and SFGATE and as a music writer at NPR. As first reported by the Mercury News on Thursday, the venerated KTVU broadcaster faces two misdemeanor charges from the Alameda County District Attorneys Office one for driving under the influence of alcohol and a second for driving with a blood alcohol level of over 0.08% with potentially enhanced penalties because his BAC was over 0.15%. Shields owns Gods Gym and is a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist. But, beyond being the Oakland stations No. Then, a month later, came the crash. People are documenting their dates on TikTok but is it actually helping them find love? "But, because I live so close to work, I will take This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I didn't see them at all over the holidays. From time to time, we will introduce you to someone within our Chapter with the hope of giving you an intriguing glimpse at what an average day is like for them. It immediately cuts to a presumably drunk and dazed Somerville walking, with his hands cuffed, towards an awaiting Oakland PD police vehicle. Now, he opens up to KRON4 in his first TV interview since the arrest. His first newspaper job was as a Washington Post paperboy. Even before he wakes up, Somervilles beautiful, spacious Oakland home has already been buzzing with activity. The collision took place near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Broadway Street just after 7:45 p.m. Dec. 31, 2021, Oakland police said at the time. Then in September, Somerville was suspended for wanting to add a tag to a Gabby Petito story highlighting the disparity between missing white people and people of color. Callie, their 10-year-old daughter, is up and getting ready to leave for school by the time her Dad wakes up. Frank Somerville Motorcyclist in Redwood City dies after car crash, Tornado flips cars, damages homes in coastal Florida city, Texas mass shooting suspect could be anywhere, sheriff says, Major crash closes stretch of Blacow Road in Fremont, They said it: Nowhere for the water to go, Total dominance: Steph Curry breaks NBA Game 7 record, leads Warriors over Kings. Somerville was let go after he was twice suspended from anchoring duties in 2021 and after he was arrested on Dec. 30 in Oakland on suspicion of driving under the What? Now, it's revered. I was so sad and lonely from the divorce and missing my kids and the pandemic sure as hell didnt help because now, I was all alone, he said. I wanted something that could teach me what to do if I was ever in a situation. According to a probable cause declaration, Somerville was driving a 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo Blue east on West Grand Avenue at about 8:20 p.m. when he rear You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Panthers Matt Corral shares cryptic message about value after team drafts Bryce Young, Greg Abbott Criticized for Response to Texas Shooting: A New Low, Macron faces Labour Day protests as pension reform anger festers, Biden hosts Philippines leader Marcos as China tensions grow, Fraught U.S-Israel ties on display as Knesset reconvenes, Anthony Carrigans Still Not Over That Big Breakup on This Weeks Barry, RFK Jr. Was Always a Crackpot, He Just Switched Political Tribes, The Woman Who Kept Anne Frank Alive Steps Into the Small Light, New Orleans Mayor Moves Past Failed Recall Effort, but Unease Persists. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. I made a huge mistake., At the same time, he added after a pause, Im a damn good anchor.. When an officer-administered field sobriety test showed signs of impairment, Somerville consented to an alcohol screening test; he blew two tests, registering .239 and .219 blood-alcohol levels, according to the statement. It all came to a head when I got the DUI, he said. I am not doing it just for the fun of it. Frank Somerville Somerville has had a tumultuous year. Former Bay Area TV anchor Frank Somerville charged Thank goodness his irresponsible actions didn't kill anyone. I usually get up around 8:30 or 9 a.m., he says. People get to see me for who I am and what Im all about. It could be, too, that people like, and admire the fact, that Somerville, who will soon be celebrating his 57th birthday, has strong Bay Area roots. An ambulance took Somerville to Highland Hospital for evaluation and to receive a blood-alcohol test, police said. WebSomerville arrives at the stations Jack London Square studios. But in September, he was suspended indefinitely after disagreeing with the station bosses about how to cover the Gabby Petito murder, which was then a missing-person case. The crash happened at the intersection of Broadway and Grand Avenue in Oakland. His writing has been featured in Texas Monthly, American Way, Rolling Stone, Roads & Kingdoms, VICE, Thrillist and more. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Disgraced former KTVU anchorman Frank Somerville just gave his first full, on-camera interview since the events of 2021 that both tanked his news career and put The tag was cutover Somervilles protestationsby producers after newsroom editors expressed misgivings about it, a source told the San Francisco Chronicle at the time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Reno officials think 'Big Melt' could be a water rescue disaster, The easiest, most eye-popping hike on the California coast.