Former Leland police officer charged with assault, responds to allegations

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — One of the former Leland police officers embroiled in a shakeup of the department that resulted in five officers either quitting or being fired in 2012 faces a new charge.

John Blasingame, 41, is charged with assault inflicting serious injury.

Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Emily Flax says the victim took out warrants through the magistrate.

According to the arrest warrant, the alleged assault happened Friday.

Blasingame is accused of punching a man in the face and causing serious injury. The warrant states the victim had a fractured nose, chipped tooth, cuts around the eye and cuts inside and outside the victim’s lip that required stitches.

Blasingame was arrested and released Wednesday night.

We spoke with Blasingame about the allegations.

He says surveillance cameras will prove he didn’t do it. He says it happened at Halftime Sports Bar where he was bartending. Blasingame says the person who took out a warrant was in the bar and was being unruly.  Blasingame says someone did knock the guy out and put him in the hospital.

Blasingame says the guy named him on the warrant simply because he works at the bar. He says the camera will prove he was no closer than 10 feet away from the man when the assault happened.

He’s scheduled to appear in court June 2.

Blasingame says he’s requesting from the district attorney to be reimbursed for fees associated with this arrest and will do whatever legal counsel says, which may include taking out his own warrant for filing a false report.