On April 6th, at approximately 5:13 p.m., the Pleasant Hill Police investigated an aggravated domestic violence assault that occurred in the 1800 block of Oak Park Boulevard. Upon arrival, officers contacted the victim in front of the residence.
The suspect remained inside the home and locked herself inside with a 2 year-old child. Investigators also determined the suspect was possibly in possession of a firearm inside the residence.
Officers determined the suspect had attacked the victim with a knife. The victim sustained non-life threatening stab wounds to her hands as a result of the attack.
A member of the Pleasant Hill Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) responded to the scene and immediately established communication with the suspect who remained barricaded inside the residence. The suspect refused to exit and refused to release the child. It was determined the suspect had an active felony kidnapping warrant out of Solano County. That warrant was related to an incident involving the same child. In that incident, it was alleged that the suspect had threatened to end her own life and the life of the child.
Based on the high risk nature of the armed and dangerous barricaded suspect with a child hostage, the Central County SWAT team’s Crisis Negotiation and Tactical Teams were activated to assist with this incident.
While members of the SWAT team were assembling, the Pleasant Hill Police CIT officer established rapport and negotiated the safe surrender of the suspect and the child. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. The child was unharmed and was ultimately taken into the protective custody of the Solano County Child Family Services.
Pleasant Hill Police Detectives obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s residence for the recovery of evidence related to this investigation.
The suspect was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for local charges and the Solano County kidnapping warrant.
- Crime/Incident: Penal Code 273.5 PC – Domestic Violence with Injury
- Penal Code 245(a)(1) PC- Assault with a Deadly Weapon
- Penal Code 422 PC – Criminal Threats
- Penal Code 273(a) – Child Endangerment
- Date/Time reported: April 6th, 2022 5:13 PM
- Location: 1800 Block Oak Park Boulevard, Pleasant Hill
- Suspect Arrested: Frances Clausell 31 year-old female resident of Pleasant Hill
- Victims: 33 year-old female resident of Pleasant Hill & 2 year-old female resident of Pleasant Hill
- Weapon: Knife
The Pleasant Hill Police Department would like to thank the Central County SWAT Team for contributing to the safe resolution of this incident. The Central County SWAT Team includes members from the following police departments: Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Martinez, BART and Pleasant Hill.
