Frank Somerville released from jail, arrested again hours later

Frank Somerville, seen here in 2020, was arrested twice in one night, Berkeley police said.

Former KTVU anchor Frank Somerville was arrested again just hours after being released from jail Monday night, Berkeley police confirmed.

The ordeal began Monday evening, when Somerville allegedly showed up intoxicated to a family member's home on Indian Rock Avenue in the Berkeley hills. According to Somerville's brother, Somerville threatened their father, prompting the brother to ask Somerville to leave. Somerville and his brother allegedly got into a physical fight, and Berkeley police told SFGATE they received a call at 6:36 p.m. "regarding a family altercation."

"Police contacted all involved parties and determined that Somerville was intoxicated and showed up regarding ongoing family issues at the residence," a Berkeley police spokesperson wrote in a statement. "When asked by family, Somerville was told to leave the property but refused to leave. Somerville threatened the victim, which led to a physical altercation."

Somerville, 65, was taken into custody on suspicion of assault, threatening a crime with the intent to terrorize, public intoxication and a probation violation. His bail was set at $27,500, which was posted, and he was released from the Berkeley City Jail.

Around 3:30 a.m. that same night, Berkeley police again received a call from the home on Indian Rock Avenue. Police said that after leaving the jail, Somerville returned to the family member's home to get his car.

"After recovering his vehicle, he left the area and returned a while later," police said in a statement. "Somerville returned in an attempt to locate the property he had lost during the initial contact the night prior and could not find it. In an effort to retrieve his property, Somerville continued ringing the doorbell until the victim spoke with him."

That person reportedly called police, stating Somerville was back and wouldn't leave. When officers arrived, they said they found Somerville sitting in his car with "objective signs and symptoms of public intoxication." He was arrested a second time on suspicion of driving under the influence and violating his probation.

According to Alameda County jail records, Somerville is incarcerated at the Santa Rita Jail. He is due in court for his arraignment Thursday morning.

The former anchor had been with KTVU since 1991 and was a respected face in Bay Area local news. But he began making headlines for all the wrong reasons a couple of years ago when he was filmed slurring his words during a KTVU broadcast in June 2021. He was suspended from the station a couple months later before being arrested for a DUI in December of that year.

After taking time away from the public eye, Somerville spoke with Golden Gate Xpress this past May about possible future career moves. During the interview he insisted that he had not retired.

SFGATE reporter Gabe Lehman contributed to this report.

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