A Knox man pleaded guilty but mentally ill to two charges in Starke Circuit Court Thursday morning.
Frank Solberg, 44, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to charges of intimidation as a Class C felony and interference with reporting a crime as a misdemeanor. He admitted in open court that he threatened the life of his mother with a butcher knife if she were to call the police at the height of an argument. He also admitted that he ripped the telephone off the wall so she could not dial 911 to seek help from law enforcement.
Solberg suffers from Schizophrenia which was a factor in this case. Doctors who evaluated Solberg indicated that he would be able to appear in court as a competent defendant.
He was sentenced to six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with three years suspended to be served on probation on the charge of intimidation. The remaining part of his sentence will be served in the DOC. Judge Kim Hall made it a part of the ruling that Solberg be placed in a segregated unit for inmates who suffer with psychological issues. He is to keep up with his medications and to be evaluated.
On the charge of interference with reporting a crime, he was sentenced to 12 months in the Starke County Jail with no part of the sentence suspended. Solberg will be given credit time for the time he has been incarcerated in the Starke County Jail. He has been incarcerated since the offense occurred on Sept. 12.
