Police officer stabbed with screwdriver at Findon while Police Dog Rusty helps fight the offender off
A police officer and Rusty the patrol dog have been stabbed with a screwdriver during a violent altercation at Findon overnight, which saw Rusty bite a suspect in defence. Picture: 7News
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A heroic police dog went into defence mode after his handler was stabbed with a screwdriver in a violent altercation at Findon overnight.
SA Police say they were alerted after two men were seen acting suspiciously and attempting to open car and house doors on Arnold Close about 2am Thursday.
Patrols rushed to the area and found a Findon man, 42, and reported him for being unlawfully on the premises.
About 45 minutes later, a second suspect returned to the area and jumped on a dirt bike before riding off.
While conducting foot patrols on Noblet St about 4am, an officer, accompanied by police dog Rusty, saw a man walking a dirt bike through the garden area of a unit block.
He confronted the man, who produced a screwdriver and made threats.
The suspect then allegedly attacked the officer, stabbing him in the hand with the weapon and making multiple attempts to stab Rusty the dog, who bit the man multiple times.
Backup patrols rushed to the area where they found the injured officer and the suspect still armed with the screwdriver.
The man was disarmed and arrested at the scene.
To the relief of officers, Rusty was spared injury due to his stab-resistant harness.
The injured officer was treated at the scene by paramedics and only suffered superficial injuries.
A Findon man, 27, was arrested and taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment of dog bite wounds.
He is expected to be charged with a number of offences including attempting to cause death or serious harm to a working animal, assaulting a prescribed emergency worker, resisting police and possessing an article to commit an offence.
He was refused bail to appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Police dog Rusty and the officer will be back on patrol on Thursday evening.
The incident follows a city stabbing on Gouger St on Monday evening in which Hollywood star Dev Patel and his friends reportedly stepped in to help.
Images emerged of Patel talking to police after a fight broke out about 8.45pm Monday.
A woman allegedly stabbed a man in the chest during the incident, and the Glengowrie man, 32, was treated at the scene by paramedics before being rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
His injuries are not considered life threatening,
The woman, from Park Holme, 34, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault causing harm.
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