Police: Intoxicated man shouted racist slurs at police officer

Justin Strawser, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·1 min read

Mar. 6—NORTHUMBERLAND — A white man, who was intoxicated in the parking lot of El Rancho outside of Northumberland borough, allegedly screamed racist slurs at a police officer of color while being arrested, according to Point Township Police.

William Frankenfield III, 41, is facing four misdemeanor charges of DUI, resisting arrest, indecent exposure and disorderly conduct and one summary charge of criminal mischief. Point Township Patrolman Clarence Kelly filed the charges against Frankenfield in the Milton office of District Judge Michael Diehl.

Kelly reported that he and another officer were dispatched to the parking lot of El Rancho on Dec. 11 for a report of a naked man in a damaged Dodge Minivan who appeared to be having trouble breathing. When the officers could not determine from the outside whether the man was breathing, they smashed through the passenger window.

The man—later identified as Frankenfield—was belligerent and smelled of alcohol. When the man refused to leave the vehicle, the two officers pulled him from the van but Fankenfield allegedly wouldn't cooperate and tried to punch Kelly. He was then handcuffed, police said.

Frankenfield allegedly continued to be belligerent, calling Kelly racist names and swearing at EMTs while in the ambulance, police said.

At Geisinger, Frankenfield allegedly refused to cooperate, stripped himself of his clothing and urinated on the floor. When officers tried to restrain Frankenfield, the man then allegedly called Kelly a racist slur for a black person and lunged at him. As Frankenfield was being restrained, he continued shouting racist slurs at Kelly, police said.

Frankenfield was released to Columbia County Probation and remanded to Columbia County Prison. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. April 7 in front of Diehl.