The Incident at Ronnie’s Restaurant
Back in May 1988, Orlando Mayor Bill Frederick made national headlines after intervening in a violent domestic attack outside Ronnie’s Restaurant at Colonial Plaza. Having just finished breakfast, the 53-year-old mayor and School Board member Ray Bassett went outside to investigate what they initially thought was a minor fender-bender, only to witness a man stabbing a woman in a car. Bystanders pulled the suspect out of the vehicle, but the attacker broke free, slashed at the crowd with a screwdriver, and fled on foot. Recognizing the immediate danger, Mayor Frederick retrieved his city-issued 9mm Beretta from his parked sedan’s glove compartment to give chase.
The Pursuit and Arrest
Assisted by a civilian who pulled up in a pickup truck, the mayor tracked the fleeing suspect to the Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center on East Amelia Street. Frederick jumped from the truck, ordered the man to stop, and fired a warning shot into the air when the suspect refused to comply. Another armed bystander arrived to assist, and Frederick held the suspect down with his foot until police arrived. The suspect was identified as 32-year-old Richard Russell Bohannan, who was subsequently jailed without bond on charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery, and burglary. The victim, his estranged wife Joanne Turner Bohannan, was treated at Orlando Regional Medical Center for stab wounds to her ears and arm.
Public Reaction and Aftermath
Although hailed as a crime-fighting superhero by the public and local politicians—with comparisons made to Clint Eastwood—Mayor Frederick downplayed his role, insisting he was simply scared and did what any reasonable person would do to stop a life-threatening attack. Police credited the mayor’s quick thinking and familiarity with firearms, which he noted included a recent safety course and prior Navy pistol team experience. Later that evening, while celebrating the opening of the Church Street Exchange downtown, Frederick received lighthearted western-themed gifts from local business leaders to commemorate his dramatic morning.
