Man pinned to the ground after serious incident at Franklin St bus depot in the city where he allegedly assaulted police, tried to drive bus away

SA Police subdued the man who appeared unaffected by capsicum spray and a taser, by physically pinning him to the ground. Watch the arrest video.

Dramatic footage shows the moment five police officers pinned a violent man to the ground after he allegedly attempted to hijack the bus away with dozens of passengers at the CBD bus depot.

On Saturday around dawn, an intoxicated man stepped onto a chartered coach headed for the Flinders Ranges with twenty-six elderly passengers and insisted on being taken to Geelong.

When the man refused to get off the bus – the situation quickly escalated to a physical brawl between him and the handful of police officers which were called to assist after he allegedly tried to commandeer the vehicle.

A man was arrested after allegedly assaulting police while trying to drive away a bus full of passengers at the Franklin Street Bus Depot. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

An SA Police officer following the alleged assault. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

Police officers had to OC spray him twice and taser the man before finally wrestling him to the ground outside the bus. Footage from 7NEWS shows the arrest.

Two patrols yanked the man – who lost all his clothes during the altercation – out of the bus and onto the ground. Then five officers hold him face down and put him in handcuffs.

During this time, the man can be heard groaning, as well as defensively saying that he’s “a good man” and “they’re trying to kill me” several times.

Footage of the man being arrested. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

Another police officer who was allegedly assaulted by the man. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

Chief Inspector Ben Spencer said four officers were allegedly assaulted by the man although only two were taken to hospital. PD Edge was also “punched and kicked”.

“Two police officers have been assessed at hospital,” Mr Spencer said later on Saturday.

“One was X-rayed for a potential broken jaw – and she is clear of the broken jaw – and she’s able to go home to her family.

“The other male suffered a significant gouge to the eye and due to what was occurring at the scene, OC spray then entered the eye and that was significantly painful.

“That police officer has been scanned at the hospital and there is no long-term damage to the eye and he’s been allowed to go home with his family.”

Mr Spencer said the injured police officers will be given time to recover in hospital, however as the incident involved the use of force, there will be a review of their actions.

“(There will be) a full process of assessment – use of force were used – so that is reviewed under scrunity of independent people. That’s normal processes,” Mr Spencer said.

“And we’ll talk about it in our management meetings on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.”

SA Police said the man, a 28-year-old from Adelaide, has been taken to hospital where he will be medically assessed before being charged.

He has been charged with four counts of assaulting an emergency worker and illegal use of a motor vehicle.

As a result of the incident, a few passengers suffered a very mild impact of the OC spray deployed in the bus; only one needed denomination with water.

Police will check-in on the passengers again in the next few days.

The bus was decontaminated and the passengers have resumed their tour to the Flinders Ranges.

Originally published as Man pinned to the ground after serious incident at Franklin St bus depot in the city where he allegedly assaulted police, tried to drive bus away