Aug. 27 (UPI) — A San Diego police officer is dead and another is fighting for his life Tuesday after a civilian vehicle crashed into the officers’ cruiser following a high-speed chase the night before, authorities said.
The deceased officer was identified Tuesday night as Austin Machitar, a 5 1/2-year veteran of the force. The critically injured officer was named as Machitar’s partner, Zachary Martinez, a Navy reservist who had been with the force for about 1 1/2 years.
Authorities said the crash occurred late Monday after an officer spotted a vehicle speeding on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, which devolved into a high-speed pursuit.
Due to the chase’s high rate of speed, a supervisor called the pursuit off. However, the suspect vehicle then slammed into the side of the officers’ police cruiser as they were responding to the chase.
Machitar was the driver and pronounced dead at the scene. The unidentified driver of the suspect vehicle was also killed in the crash.
Martinez was transported to the intensive care unit of a local hospital. While authorities are optimistic he will survive, his list of injuries are “numerous,” San Diego Police Department Chief Scott Wahl told reporters in a Tuesday evening press conference.
“His wounds are extremely grave and he is fighting for his life,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria added.
Wahl acknowledged that a lot of questions about the crash remain unanswered as he called on the public for patience. He said that due to the “enormity” of the situation, they have asked California Highway Patrol to take over the independent investigation into the incident. He said the events leading up to the crash will take time to “reconstruct.”
An emotional Wahl described Machitar as athletic, a competitor with a passion for training — “The kind of guy you want on your team,” he said.
He described Martinez as being “born and raised to serve.”
“We all know what we’re sighing up for, we all know the hazards of this job, but it’s days like today that are a very real reminder of how dangerous the job is,” Wahl said.
Jared Wilson, president of the San Diego Police Officers Association, called them both “heroes” during the press conference.
And Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that he and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, were “heartbroken by the tragic loss of officer Machitar.”
“His loved ones, friends and colleagues at the San Diego Police Department are in our hearts during this difficult time. Our thoughts are also with his fellow officer who was seriously injured,” Newsom said.