Former KTVU anchor Frank Somerville has been handed a 30-day jail sentence following his plea of no contest to charges of reckless driving under the influence and a probation violation. Despite being relieved of charges related to a family altercation, Somerville admitted to the court about the probation violation, also facing a "wet-reckless" charge for his actions last June, as reported by SFist. His defense cited family matters gone wrong and an apparent misinterpretation of events leading to his physical confrontation with his brother.
The incident in question occurred on June 5, 2023, when the 66-year-old showed up allegedly intoxicated at a family home in Berkeley, resulting in a physical altercation with his brother. After being released from jail that night, Somerville was said to have ignorantly driven back to the property, leading to another arrest for driving under the influence, according to SFGATE. The Alameda County Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program may allow him to substitute jail time with community service if he qualifies within the next 30 days.
Prior to these incidents, Somerville had a respectable 31-year tenure at KTVU that came to an abrupt end on January 31, 2022. Past controversies include his departure from KTVU following an on-air incident where he was accused of slurring his words and a DUI crash in downtown Oakland in 2021. He publicly addressed his struggles with alcohol in December 2022, claiming to have abstained from alcohol completely, as per SFist. However, this newfound sobriety was short-lived, with the belligerent conduct leading to his June 2023 arrest.
In a previous attempt to rehabilitate his public image, Somerville told KRON4, "I got trashed," referring to his 2021 DUI crash, and expressed remorse for his actions. His recent arrest now casts a shadow over his expressed desire to return to a career in broadcasting. Meanwhile, his attorney, Shannan Dugan, stated via SFGATE, "We feel really vindicated that all of the charges related to any of the family allegations were dismissed."
The ramifications of Somerville's legal entanglements extend beyond jail time. He has also been ordered to pay $830 in fines, enroll in a nine-month DUI program, and adhere to a year of court probation and a no-contact order with his brother, as detailed by SFGATE. The conditions of his plea agreement reflect more than a mere legal resolution.
