A San Diego police officer seriously injured in a crash late last month that claimed the life of his partner has returned to his native Texas to complete his recovery.
Officer Zachary Martinez, who suffered serious burns and other injuries when a car that had been involved in a police pursuit slammed into the patrol car he was in, was released from the hospital earlier this month.
This past weekend, Martinez attended the funeral for his partner, 30-year-old Austin Machitar, and even walked up to the stage where Machitar was being honored for his service.
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On Monday night, Martinez returned to his family's hometown in Lubbock, Texas.
"I was shocked," Martinez said on Monday night at the airport after his plane landed, his hands still encased in bandages and some bruising visible under his eyes. "I was not expecting this at all, especially when they boarded the plane and made me stand up and come walk to the front of the plane. I was not expecting — was expecting, OK, some family and friends, and things like that, but coming out and seeing a full lineup of everybody, it was great. It was awesome."
The officers were killed in the crash on Aug. 26 when a teenage driver who was behind the wheel of the gray BMW slammed into the SUV in which the officers were riding.
Martinez's father told NBC 7 in August that his son, who has been a sworn officer in San Diego for the past 18 months, is a hero who dedicated his life to serving.
"He was born and raised to serve," San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said during a news conference the day after the crash. "He's an EMT. His heart is into helping people."
Zach Martinez's road to the police force began in 2014. In high school, he joined the Lubbock Police Department Explorer Program in Texas. Officer Brinnen Kent, Zach Martinez's former instructor, described Martinez as a smart competitor who helped the explorers win leadership and other awards.
Because Martinez couldn't join the San Diego Police Department until he was 21, he joined the Navy's military police at 18, according to Kent.
Kent said the week before the crash when they spoke, Martinez talked about how excited he was to be serving in San Diego.
