San Diego police Officer Austin Machitar's end of watch came late Monday night after a fiery crash in Clairemont Mesa.
Investigators say the 30-year-old officer who worked in the Northern Division precinct was responding to a high-speed chase when a BMW going around 90 miles per hour slammed into his police SUV.
"Austin had a very infectious smile and a character that made him one of a kind,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said during a news conference at Sharp Memorial Hospital on Tuesday evening.
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Machitar's smile and personality are on display in recruitment videos and pictures for the city's police and fire departments.
Police say Machitar was a five-and-a-half-year veteran of the force who had a passion for training others. In fact, he trained his partner, 27-year-old Officer Zachary Martinez, who remains hospitalized.
Martinez, a Texas native and Navy reservist, is in critical condition with a long road to recovery, according to Wahl.
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“He’s an EMT. His heart is into helping people,” Wahl said about Martinez.
NBC 7 spoke to Machitar's cousin Paul Padilla over the phone on Tuesday night. Padilla says there was never any doubt Machitar would be in law enforcement because his father works in the law enforcement community.
Machitar fed his love of sports by playing baseball at Otay Ranch High School. Padilla says since middle school, Machitar's been his hero.
“He stepped in and kind of protected me when I got into an altercation," Padilla told NBC 7. "Those kids knew him, and they're like, 'We'll back off.' He was always looking out for the underdog. He always liked protecting and serving."
That desire to serve and protect was recognized Tuesday by the police chief and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.
"This man was a hero. He was working on all our behalf. He has laid down his life as a service to the city — that’s a debt we’ll never be able to repay," Gloria said.
The San Diego Police Officers Association has started a donation campaign to benefit the families of the involved officers, with a goal of $250,000 to aid with funeral and medical costs.
