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Asheville Police Officer Charged, Suspended For Use Of Excessive Force

Matt Bush
/
Blue Ridge Public Radio

An Asheville police officer faces charges for use of excessive force during an incident earlier this year.  

Senior Police Officer Anthony Sorangelo faces one count of misdemeanor simple assault after the State Bureau Of Investigation completed an inquiry.  According to a press release from the Asheville police department, on February 11th Sorangelo and other Asheville officers responded to a call about an intoxicated man lying on Hendersonville Road.  The man became combative as Sorangelo moved him into a patrol vehicle and force was used according to police.  

That use of force was reported to the department, and after reviewing the incident, police chief David Zack asked for a criminal investigation.  The District Attorney's office requested that be conducted by the SBI.  Sorangelo was charged and then placed on investigative suspension pending the completion of an internal review by the department.  

Matt Bush joined Blue Ridge Public Radio as news director in August 2016. Excited at the opportunity the build up the news service for both stations as well as help launch BPR News, Matt made the jump to Western North Carolina from Washington D.C. For the 8 years prior to coming to Asheville, he worked at the NPR member station in the nation's capital as a reporter and anchor. Matt primarily covered the state of Maryland, including 6 years of covering the statehouse in Annapolis. Prior to that, he worked at WMAL in Washington and Metro Networks in Pittsburgh, the city he was born and raised in.