1 San Diego police officer dead, 1 in critical condition after pursuit crash
One San Diego police officer was killed and another was seriously injured during a police pursuit Monday night, authorities announced this week.
According to the San Diego Police Department, Officer Austin Machitar, 30, was killed during the pursuit, while his partner, Officer Zachary Martinez, 27, was injured and is in critical but stable condition.
The crash happened near Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, the police department said in a news release. The suspect also died at the scene.
The department said the officers were trying to stop a suspect vehicle that was speeding just before 11:30 p.m. Monday. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop and officers began a pursuit. Machitar and Martinez were responding to the scene when the suspect vehicle hit theirs, reported news outlets KGTV and KXTV.
Prior to the crash, a supervisor had called off the pursuit due to the vehicles traveling at such high speeds, KXTV reported.
The California Highway Patrol is conducting an independent investigation of the collision and the investigation is ongoing.
‘A very infectious smile’
Machitar started working for the San Diego Police Department in 2019 and was assigned to patrol the department’s northern division. He also served as a field training officer and helped recruit new officers by making videos and doing photoshoots for the department, authorities said in a news release.
Scott Wahl, Chief of Police for the San Diego Police Department, announced the news at a press conference Tuesday morning.
“(Machitar) was the kind of guy you want on your team,” Wahl said. “He was athletic. He was a competitor. He had a passion for training.”
Machitar also trained Martinez, his partner, back in 2023, Wahl noted, adding that he had a “very infectious smile.”
Machitar leaves behind a sister and his parents.
“As a father of four kids, I can't imagine what his parents are going through right now,” Wahl said Tuesday. “Our focus is going to be helping them grieve and get through this process.”
Officer ‘fighting for his life’
Martinez, Machitar’s partner, has been with the department for about 18 months and is also assigned to patrol the department’s northern division.
Chief Wahl said at Tuesday’s press conference that Martinez is a U.S. Navy reservist from Texas. The Navy brought him to San Diego and he “fell in love with this city,” Wahl said.
“He was born and raised to serve,” Wahl said. “He’s an EMT. His heart is into helping people. We're very optimistic he's going to be okay but he has a very long road to go.”
He has quite a few injuries, Wahl said, so the department has everyone to keep him in their prayers.
Mayor asks community to show appreciation for officers
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also spoke at the press conference and offered condolences to Machitar’s family. He also asked for prayers for Martinez’s family.
“His wounds are extremely grave and he is fighting for his life,” Gloria said. “We are optimistic … Your thoughts and prayers right now are needed more than ever to make sure that we get him back on the road to recovery.”
Gloria stressed the need to thank officers for their sacrifices. They choose to become police officers knowing they put their lives at risk, he said.
“I ask San Diegans, as you see our officers going about their work over the next number of days, please make sure you express that appreciation to them directly,” Gloria said. “They need to hear that from us.”
He called Machitar a hero and said he worked on the community’s behalf to make sure all were safe.
“He's laid down his life and service to the city as a debt,” he said. “We'll never ever be able to repay, but we will do our … best in the weeks and months ahead to make sure that we show our appreciation for him, to his family, to his loved ones, to his squad mates, to his teammates at the San Diego Police Department.”
Jared Wilson, president of the San Diego Police Officers Association spoke and said the group has a nonprofit to help officers during tragedies. They are collecting funds to support both officers.
To help, contact the San Diego Police Officers Association at www.sdpoa.org.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her at[email protected].