San Diego police officer Zachary Martinez, who was severely injured in a collision that resulted in the death of his patrol partner last summer, has returned to duty in what the department is calling a "miraculous" recovery.
"It's Officer Zach Martinez's first day back on patrol after the crash in August that took the life of Officer [Austin] Machitar," Sgt. Jared Wilson said in a statement Friday on social media. "His recovery is truly a miracle."
On Aug. 26 at 11:30 p.m., Machitar was killed in a crash at the intersection of Doliva Drive and Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.
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A third officer was pursuing a speeding vehicle that failed to yield for a traffic stop, and when the pursuit reached a high rate of speed, it was called off. Machitar and Martinez were in a separate vehicle responding to the area of the fleeing suspect when the fleeing car broadsided their patrol vehicle at 90 mph, causing the police cruiser to be engulfed in flames.
Deadly crash kills officer, injures another
Machitar was pronounced dead at the scene, while Martinez was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital in critical condition. He was present and also honored at Machitar's memorial service, and was released from hospital care on Sept. 3.
The driver of the pursuit vehicle died in the crash.
"Officer Martinez's recovery has been nothing short of miraculous," the department said in a statement.
Martinez was expected to share his recovery story Sunday in a briefing with the media.
