SA Constable Elisabeth Pergoleto describes harrowing moment a man allegedly attacked her with samurai sword at Port Augusta
A young cop has described the horrific moment her thumb was almost cut off by a sword as her partner prepared to kill the alleged offender.
A police officer says “everything went silent” in the harrowing moment a man allegedly nearly severed her thumb with a samurai sword – but adds the attack has only deepened her commitment to policing.
Constable Elisabeth Pergoleto was called to a suspected domestic violence incident at Port Augusta in December 2024 when she was allegedly struck on the left arm by a 30-year-old man.
The young officer told Blueprint, an SA Police publication, that she felt a blow to her chest and pain in her hand just after deploying her taser.
“I looked down and saw blood. I could see bone,” Constable Pergoleto said. “I didn’t realise how bad it was until afterwards.”
Just nine months into her first police job, she had arrived at the scene with her partner Constable Nathan Cranwell.
“I could see Nathan was yelling at the (alleged) offender, but I could not hear anything. It was like everything had gone silent,” Constable Pergoleto told Blueprint.
The two officers have been awarded Police Bravery Medals for their focus on controlling the situation under pressure, despite fearing for their safety.
The man has been ordered to stand trial for attempted murder after pleading not guilty to attempted murder, resisting police and threatening to kill or endanger life.
“I was scared,” Ms Pergoleto said. “I knew I was in significant danger, but I wasn’t thinking about my own life. I was focused on doing what we had to do to bring the situation under control.”
But the officer, who grew up wanting to be a policewoman, told Blueprint the episode had not weakened her commitment to policing.
“If anything, it has deepened it,” she said. “Before I was an officer, I knew the job could be dangerous and unpredictable.”
Ms Pergoleto was flown to Royal Adelaide Hospital where surgeons reattached her thumb, before she returned to light duties in February.
She was cleared to return to full duties in May.
“That was a big moment,” she said. “Not just physically, but emotionally.
“This healing – physical and psychological – has been long. My physical recovery is still ongoing.”
Her partner, Constable Cranwell, told Blueprint he feared he would be forced to kill the man or be killed, as he pleaded with the alleged offender to put the sword down.
The man dropped the sword and he was soon secured to the ground and handcuffed by Constable Cranwell and another officer who had arrived.
“I knew without a doubt we had to act,” Constable Cranwell said.
“In all honesty, I was just doing my job – and trying to make sure my partner got home safely.”
The man has also pleaded not guilty to an aggravated count of assaulting another person and causing them harm, and to a domestic violence charge.
A date for trial is due to be set this month.
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Originally published as SA Constable Elisabeth Pergoleto describes harrowing moment a man allegedly attacked her with samurai sword at Port Augusta
