Portland police investigate officer in violent arrest

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Portland Police Bureau says it is reviewing the actions of an officer who was involved in a man’s violent arrest last September.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (https://goo.gl/PuCmGY ) that Officer Matt Bigoni threatened three times to shoot the man, 27-year-old Christopher Lee Fish, when he refused to come out of his motor home.

Officers had gone to the motor home to arrest Fish for probation violations. After about 25 minutes, the officers busted in the door, held him down, punched him and fractured his eye socket and nose.

A judge dismissed a charge that Fish interfered with police, and jurors in February acquitted him of resisting arrest. A cellphone recording Fish made of Bigoni’s threats turned out to be a key piece of evidence at the trial.

A lawyer for Fish has notified the city he intends to sue over the arrest. The police bureau declined to comment, but confirmed the three officers involved in the arrest remain on patrol duty.

The Associated Press could not immediately reach Bigoni for comment Sunday; a phone number listed for a Matt Bigoni in Portland rang busy.