by Admin
Aug 28, 2024
The San Diego police department on Tuesday morning announced the passing of one of their veteran officers in a hot car pursuit on Monday night.
While making this announcement to journalists, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl disclosed that 30-year-old Austin Machitar was the officer who tragically lost his life in the line of duty while his partner who was with him in the patrol car when they were hit by an over speeding vehicle, is currently fighting for his life.
In his words, the Police Chief said, “Two officers working together in one vehicle were responding to that fleeing suspect traveling at a high rate of speed, ” the fleeing driver eventually ran into the police officer’s vehicle trying to slow him down.
The accident which claimed the life of Officer Austin, happened on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard road. Austin has been a San Diego police officer for 5 and a half years and is from San Diego.
Chief Wahl said “Austin is the kind of guy who you’d want on your team,” Austin was a field training officer and last year had trained his partner, Zach Martinez, 27, who was with him when the accident occurred.
Zach Martinez served as a Navy reservist and EMT before joining the San Diego Police Department from Texas and has been with the department for over a year and a half years.
The police department has yet to publicly announce the identity of the dead driver of the suspect vehicle.
The California Highway Patrol Department is being asked to conduct an independent investigation, which includes “a full reconstruction of exactly what happened,” the chief said.
The chief who was visibly emotional further said “When we have police officers that are coming to work to make a difference, to help those in need, and they’re putting their lives on the line for people that they don’t even know — and last night we lost a good one.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria described the dead officer Austin Machitar as a hero and expressed his condolences to his family. He reiterated that the city of San Diego would do everything possible to support both the Machitar and the Martinez families.
In his words, the Mayor said “I ask for San Diegans to pray for Zach and his family. His wounds are extremely grave,” he said.
Also, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has expressed his grievances and disclosed that he and his wife Jennifer are “heartbroken” by the news of the incident.