The Real Reason Frank Fritz From American Pickers Was Arrested

The show "American Pickers" has captivated audiences since it premiered on the History channel in January 2010. Hosts Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe travel around the country in search of vintage pieces to sell, resell, or add to their collections. For 11 years, the pair was a staple in homes across America, and Frank quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his effervescent and often quirky personality.

Frank owns Frank Fritz Finds, an antique shop that doubles as a biker bar in Savanna, Illinois. Meanwhile, Mike runs Antique Archeology located in LeClaire, Iowa, and Nashville, Tennessee. What seemed like a match made in reality TV heaven, quickly turned sour when Frank seemingly disappeared from the show following a March 2020 episode.

As the rumor mill turned and speculation grew, fans became increasingly worried about Frank's whereabouts. He later provided an explanation for his sudden exit, pointing to a series of health issues as the reason for his absence. He also revealed that he recently sought treatment for alcohol addiction, a problem that once landed the former reality star behind bars.

On the evening of July 30, 2017, Iowa state police officers responded to calls of a vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road along I-80 in Walcott. Upon arrival, police spotted Frank Fritz's silver pickup truck "weaving about the roadway crossing the fog line and center markers multiple times," according to the police report, per WQAD. The outlet later reported that the responding officer noticed that Frank appeared confused at the time of the incident and admitted to driving the wrong way on the interstate in an attempt to travel to DeWitt.

Frank was found to be under the influence of Xanax and alcohol. "They made me sound like Public Enemy No. One," Frank later complained to the Globe Gazette. He also explained that he takes Xanax "because I have anxiety. People watch every move I make."

Frank was ultimately arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a charge to which he later took a plea deal. The deferred judgment required him to be on a year of unsupervised probation, pay a fine of $625, and undergo substance abuse evaluation and treatment.

Frank Fritz returned to "American Pickers" following his arrest in Iowa, but his return was short-lived. While Frank didn't cite his troubles with the law as a reason for his departure, it didn't seem like they made the situation any better, either. The reality star initially cited complications from Crohn's disease and back problems as the reason for his initial departure but notes his strained relationship with Mike as a contributing factor.  "I haven't talked to Mike in two years. He knew my back was messed up, but he didn't call me up and ask how I was doing. That's just how it is," Frank said during an interview with The Sun.

Mike confirmed Frank's exit from "American Pickers" would be permanent in an Instagram post, and wished his former co-star well. "The journey that Frank, Dani and I started back in 2009, like all of life, has come with its highs and lows, blessings and challenges, but it has also been the most rewarding," Mike wrote. "I will miss Frank, just like all of you, and I pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey."

Fans of the popular History channel show still continue to hope for a Frank-Mike reunion. Some have even vowed to boycott the series until Frank returns, and the Season 23 premiere attracted 223,000 less viewers than its predecessor, according to TV Shows Ace.