A San Diego Police officer was killed and another injured in a crash while chasing a speeding vehicle late Monday.
San Diego Police Officer Austin Machitar, 30, died and his 27-year-old partner Officer Zachary Martinez was critically wounded when they crashed into the suspect’s vehicle near Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.
The suspect who was speeding and refused to stop crashed into the responding officers at around 11:30 p.m. He also died in the crash.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Officer Machitar joined the San Diego Police Department in 2019. He was assigned to patrol the northern division and also served as a field training officer. He was the one who trained Martinez.
“(Machitar) was the kind of guy you want on your team. He was athletic. He was a competitor. He had a passion for training,” Police Chief Scott Wahl said.
