Memorial services for San Diego Police officer Austin Machitar, who died on Aug. 26 after a fiery crash in Clairemont, were held Saturday morning. He was 30.
The memorial service took place at 2100 Greenfield Drive at Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon following a law enforcement procession from Mission Valley.
The procession started at 7:45 a.m. at Snapdragon Stadium, which extended onto southbound Interstate 15 to eastbound Interstate 8 and exited at Greenfield Drive to end up at Shadow Mountain Church. The community was invited to view the procession.
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Proceedings began with a prelude by pianist Michael Sanchez, and a welcome and opening prayer by San Diego Police Department Chaplain Chuck Price. He spoke of the kindness and hospitality of Machitar’s family.
“They are some of the most kind people I’ve met in my life and I’ve had the privilege of spending some time with them at their home. And every time I went there, they wanted to feed me,” Price said.
Tributes poured into a packed church hall from Machitar’s loved ones, including San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, SDPD Chief of Police Scott Wahl, Sgt. Andrew Schidecker, Sen. Steve Padilla, cousins Julian Chanfreau and McKenzie Holt, and sister Asia Machitar.
"We all miss you tremendously, Austin. It is so tragic, anger- inducing, and cosmically unfair what happened to you and Zach. I remember when you first started at Northern Division years ago. You were so eager to get involved and learn and you were always helpful and positive. Truly in it for all the right reasons. The radio calls and arrests come and go in the tides of our memories, but it's the little things that we'll remember forever. The department, the city, and our community has lost someone truly irreplaceable," SDPD Officer Nick Marino said.
Asia Machitar, spoke amid tears at the memorial service about growing up alongside her brother and his commitment to his police department and city.
“If you ever met my brother, you met a person with a most infectious smile and always found a way to make people laugh wherever he went. People always gravitate towards him,” Asia said.
The service concluded after nearly three hours with a flag folding and presentation by the SDPD Honor Guard, and a 21-gun salute.
Officer Machitar had served with the San Diego Police Department for over five years. He is survived by his parents and sister.
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.
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 has since been released from the hospital.
The fatal crash
Killed in the crash on Aug. 26 were Austin Machitar and a teenage driver who was behind the wheel of the gray BMW that slammed into the SUV in which the officers were driving after allegedly fleeing an attempted traffic stop.
Zach Martinez's father told NBC 7 that his son is a hero and dedicated his life to serving. Zach Martinez has helped to protect San Diego for the past year and a half.
"He was born and raised to serve," San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said during a news conference last week. "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 the officer as a smart competitor who helped the explorers win leadership and other awards.
Because Zach 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, Zach Martinez talked about how excited he was to be serving in San Diego.
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 Zach Martinez.
The San Diego Medical Examiner's Office identified the teen driver as Edgar Giovanny Oviedo. First responders attempted lifesaving measures while taking the teenager to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner's office.
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.
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, a nonprofit dedicated to honoring fallen law enforcement officers, at least 36 San Diego police officers have, since 1913, died in the line of duty, plus one K9 officer. While the majority of them were shot, 11 were killed in incidents involving a car or motorcycle.
The last officer killed in the line of duty was Officer Jonathan "JD" DeGuzman in 2016.
