Police: Man released after robbing elderly woman, strikes again 12 hours later

By TAVIA D. GREEN • GANNETT TENNESSEE • November 5, 2010 A man released from jail on his own recognizance after robbing and injuring a 79-year-old woman, robbed and injured an 84-year-old woman just 12 hours after he was released from jail, police say. According to a news release from Officer Jim Knoll, at 6 p.m on Monday the 79-year-old woman pulled into her driveway at her Hillwood Drive home. When she opened her car door an unknown man, later identified as Frank Sumner, snatched her purse from her arms, knocked her to the ground and ran away. The 79-year-old woman was was taken to emergency room and treated for a laceration to the back of her head, a cut to one finger and a large bruise on her left forearm, the release said. Sumner was arrested on Wednesday at 1:53 a.m. and charged with the crime. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on a $25,000 bond. Sumner had a history of over 50 arrests, several involving acts of violence, police say. On Thursday, at about 10 a.m., he was released on his own recognizance. At 9:10 p.m. Thursday, he allegedly committed the same crime on another woman. An 84-year-old woman was leaving work at a Madison Street business and approaching her car, when another vehicle pulled up. A man later identified as Sumner jumped out of the vehicle and pulled the 84-year-old woman’s purse from her shoulder, the release said. The purse snatching caused the woman to be knocked to the ground and she sustained a broken shoulder and laceration above her eye, the release said. Sumner’s vehicle was later found but, he was not inside, the release said. Sumner was located a short time later at 802 Central Avenue. The investigation revealed that Sumner had committed the robbery of the 84-year-old woman and the purse was recovered from a dumpster on Whitfield Court, the release said. Frank Huber Sumner, 37, was charged with aggravated robbery. His bond in the first case was set at $250,000. His total bond is $300,000.