A COP is alive after being stabbed in the neck and saving his own life while chasing down a suspect from a rollover crash.
The man was attacked by a 21-year-old woman in a “completely unprovoked” incident, cops say.
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Leigha Michelle Day is facing an attempted murder charge after stabbing Deputy Cody Colangelo, 22 late on March 23.
Colangelo had been responding to a call of a rollover crash in St Lucie County, Florida at around 11pm when he located Day walking along the shoreline near where the vehicle had been found.
The deputy allegedly spoke with Day, encouraging her to walk back up from the shore.
Then, she stabbed Colangelo with a knife, striking his carotid artery.
Colangelo then fired one shot towards Day but missed. He continued to chase her while keeping pressure on his injury.
“Once he got back up to the top of the roadway and he lost sight of Day, he then took a position on the roadway between the homes and potential bystanders, because he had seen that she went back down the embankment just down from where they were,” Chief Deputy Brian Hester said.
Despite the life-threatening wound, Colangelo was able to radio for additional help.
The entire incident was captured on Colangelo’s body camera, Hester said.
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“To watch one of our deputies who just sustained a life-threatening injury, calmed himself down enough, saved his own life. He saved his own life through his training,” Hester said.
“Stood guard for nearby residents and then directed other deputies where to go. All the while calmly controlling his breathing.”
Colangelo was transported to a nearby hospital where a two-hour surgery was performed. He is in stable condition and should make a full recovery.
Day had allegedly been speeding down the road, losing control of her car, and leading to the encounter with Colangelo.
She was located a short time after stabbing Colangelo and taken into custody.
On March 24, Day was charged with premeditated first-degree attempted murder.
A motive for the stabbing remains unclear.
“She did appear to be under the influence of something,” Hester said.
“We’re awaiting results to figure that out.”
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