PORT CHARLOTTE — Thanks to a tip from a resident, Charlotte County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a Port Charlotte man who knocked down an 81-year-old woman and attempted to steal her purse Friday.

Thomas John Frankenberger IV, 20, of the 2000 block Hariet St., Port Charlotte, was arrested on robbery by sudden snatching and violation of probation in a Lee County case, according to a sheriff’s release.

The crime occurred about 1:30 p.m. outside the Cultural Center of Charlotte County, 2280 Aaron St., when a robber tried to pull the purse off the woman’s shoulder. She held on to it, so he knocked her down. She began yelling, according to the release. A man in the Cultural Center heard her screams, ran out and chased the man but lost him about a block away. The robber did not get the purse, nor was the woman injured.

Sheriff’s deputies, detectives, K-9 and a helicopter rushed to the area and a perimeter was established. A K-9 unit began a track and located the blue sweatshirt taken off by the fleeing subject, according to the sheriff’s report. The track ended near a canal, and the search was suspended a short time later.

At 5:30 p.m. the sheriff’s office received an anonymous tip that the suspect might be in a nearby apartment in the 21000 block of Gertrude Avenue. Detectives responded. A 34-year-old man answered the door and said Frankenberger was inside.

Detectives located Frankenberger, and the man who helped the victim was brought to the suspect’s location and identified Frankenberger as the man he had chased.

The resident of the apartment also said his girlfriend had called him on her cellphone and told him to check out the Sheriff’s website (www.ccso.org) because she had seen Frankenberger’s photos posted as a robbery suspect.

Frankenberger told deputies he went for a walk around the Cultural Cent er about 12:30 p.m. He said he was stressed out about issues with his girlfriend, had no job and was hooked on drugs, according to the sheriff’s release.

Traffic
enforcement
locations announced

CHARLOTTE COUNTY — Beginning Monday, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office will increase traffic enforcement at the following locations:

Speed enforcement:

• Entire length of Burnt Store Road, from Punta Gorda to the Lee County line.

• Entire length of Midway Boulevard,
Port Charlotte.

Traffic light/stop sign enforcement:

• U.S. 41 and Toledo Blade Boulevard, Port Charlotte.

• Jones Loop Road and Interstate 75/Exit 161, Punta Gorda.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office reported the following arrests:

• Anthonio M. Lovett, 37, of Tampa. Charges: bank fraud by passing a forged check, 19 counts possession of counterfeited payment instruments, grand theft and possession of a blank or stolen driver’s license. Bond: $55,000.

• Elmer Joseph McGuirt, 29, of Tampa. Charges: bank fraud by passing a forged check, 19 counts possession of counterfeited payment instruments, grand theft, possession of a blank or stolen driver’s license and violation of probation. Bond: none.

• Shawn Albert Popp, 41, of 6100 block Padula St., Punta Gorda. Charge: violation of a domestic violence injunction. Bond: $5,000.

• Gene Richard Hughes, 30, of 6100 Padula St., Punta Gorda. Charges: two counts violation of probation and resisting an officer. Bond: none.

• Richard John Fint, 50, of 3500 block Palm Drive, Punta Gorda. Charge: DUI. Bond: $750.

• Isaac Jacob Borst, 26, of 22200 block Hernando Ave., Port Charlotte. Charge: violation of probation. Bond: none.

• Guerdy David Geffrard, 23, of 23200 block MacDougall Ave., Port Charlotte. Charges: providing a false identification to a law officer and driving while license suspended. Bond: $1,500.

• John Robert Porter, 25, of 23000 block Jumper Ave., Port Charlotte. Charge: violation of probation. Bond: $3,000.

• Joseph James Cable, 40, of 21100 block Bersell Ave., Port Charlotte. Charges: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and felony battery by strangulation. Bond: $300,000.

• Bonnie Lynn Lane, 39, of 18600 block Goodman Circle, Port Charlotte. Charges: possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Bond: $3,500.

• Mya Angelic Davis, 30, of 21400 block Mallory Ave., Port Charlotte. Charge: violation of probation. Bond: none.

• Christopher Paul Francois, 18, of 22200 Vick St., Port Charlotte. Charges: petty theft and resisting a merchant. Bond: $1,000.

• Harold Mohrle, 43, of Oakland Park, Fla. Charge: withholding support. Bond: $570.

• Serafin Maldonado Pena, 24, of 800 block Martin Drive, Nokomis. Charge: stalking. Bond: $5,000.

• Phillip Clark Artiz, 23, of Naples. Charges: DUI, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond: $2,000.

— Compiled by Greg Martin and Marion Putman

• John R. Angle, 45, of Fort Lauderdale. Charge: violation of probation. Bond: none.

• Gabrielle Lynn Campbell, 22, of 11200 block Pendleton Ave., Englewood. Charge: violation of probation. Bond: $2,500.

• Jonathan Anthony Valentin, 27, of 10000 block Burlington Ave., Englewood. Charge: withholding support. Bond: $220.

• Clinton Tyler Skinner, 27, of 7000 block Mifflin St., Englewood. Charge: violation of probation. Bond: none.

• Robert Daniel Brock, 26, of 10300 block Oceanspray Blvd., Englewood. Charges: petty theft and criminal mischief. Bond: none.

• Corey Andrew La Barrie, 22, of 1200 block Slash Pine Circle, Punta Gorda. Charge: selling liquor to a person under 21. Bond: $500.

• Joshua Aaron Rivers, 19, of 1200 block Slash Pine Circle, Punta Gorda. Charges: two counts possession of liquor by a person under 21. Bond: none.

• Justin Michael Rivers, 19, two counts possession of liquor by a person under 21. Bond: none.

• Molly Jo Anderson, 18, of 18300 block Kerville Circle, Port Charlotte. Charge: possession of liquor by a person under 21. Bond: $1,000.

• William Joseph Mair, 20, of 2200 block Starlite Lane, Port Charlotte. Charge: DUI. Bond: $750.

• Alicia Ann Reyes, 31, of 3600 block Inverness St., North Port. Charges: failure to appear and driving while license suspended. Bond: $4,000.