A man has been arrested after allegedly trying to hijack a bus and then assaulting multiple police officers and a dog when they tried to take him into custody.
About 40 elderly passengers were aboard the charter bus when the frightening incident unfolded.
Capsicum spray and a taser noth failed to subdue the man during the violent incident before police were eventually able to arrest him.
Police were called to an Adelaide bus depot about 5.45am on Saturday after reports an intoxicated man had entered a chartered coach and attempted to drive it away.
Police say the agitated man was sitting in the driver’s seat when officers arrived and refused to exit the vehicle.
“Patrols attempted to remove the man from the driver’s seat when two officers were repeatedly punched to the head,” a police statement on the incident read.
Officers used capsicum spray but that proved unsuccessful and the man allegedly “continued to attempt to drive the bus”.
A third officer was then kicked in the head and suffered a split lip.
Police dog Edge was also assaulted, and his handler punched him in the face when they were called on to help remove the man from the vehicle.
Officers tasered the man but could not remove him from the driver’s seat. It was only after capsicum spray was used for a second time that the man was successfully removed from the bus and arrested.
Pastor Peggy Renata told 7NEWS the 28-year-old man attempted to take a police officer’s gun out of her hand.
She feared there could have been fatalities if it weren’t for the “brilliant” work of police.
“We had a bus full elderly people about to depart Adelaide and a mentally sick man on the bus that appeared to be completely naked,” Renata said.
“A very violent brawl broke out on the bus … the police officers who entered the bus were violently attacked
“One police officer believes her jaw is completely broken, another police officer’s eye was gouged and he could not move,” she said.
Passenger Steven Egel, 67, said before police arrived, the bus driver and tour manager attempted to remove the man.
He said when an altercation broke out, the man’s clothes were ripped off.
He alleged the 28-year-old tried to pull out one officer’s eye.
“(It was) pretty bad. I jumped up and tried to help. I grabbed hold of him and grabbed hold of his arm to get him back to stop him
“The bus was actually running, we thought he was going to put it into gear and take off,” Egel said.
A 28-year-old man from Adelaide has been taken to hospital where he is being medically assessed.
Police say he is likely to be charged with four counts of assaulting an emergency worker, attempt illegal use and resisting arrest.
Two officers were taken to hospital where they are being treated, one member suffered an eye injury and a second officer suffered a head injury after being assaulted.
No passengers were injured as a result of the incident.
— with 7NEWS
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