THE San Diego community is mourning the loss of a Filipino American police officer who was killed last week while on high-speed pursuit.
On Friday, Aug. 29, the San Diego Fire-Rescue and San Diego Police Department (SDPD) honored 30-year-old Austin Christopher Machitar in a vehicle procession near state route 52.
The procession took place while Machitar’s body was being moved from the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office to El Camino Memorial in Sorrento Valley.
Machitar had been an officer with the SDPD for five years. He was born and raised in the Chula Vista area of San Diego, and his father was a San Diego County deputy sheriff.
After graduating from Otay Ranch High School in 2012, he attended and graduated from the University of Hawaii in 2015, according to his Facebook page. He had recently celebrated his 30th birthday on July 26.
California State Sen. Steve Padilla (D-San Diego), also a Chula Vista resident, was close to Machitar and shared his thoughts on the young police officer’s passing in a statement.
“Foremost, I had the honor of knowing the man that he was, but moreover, loved the person. He was warm, thoughtful, gentle, and kind. Austin had a bright, million-dollar smile that put everyone at ease. He was always willing to help and find ways to help,” Padilla said.
On the evening of Monday, August 26, Machitar and fellow SDPD officer Zachary Martinez were pursuing a speeding vehicle down Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.
At around 11:30 p.m. the suspect — a 16-year-old unlicensed driver named Edgar Oviedo — collided with Machitar’s patrol car at Doliva Drive at 90 mph, the SDPD reported. Oviedo was also killed in the collision.
Martinez, 27, survived the crash and sustained injuries.
The San Diego Police Officers Association shared a tribute to Machitar and organized a “Fund a Hero” fundraiser to assist the Machitar and Martinez families.
“In this time of grief, we honor the memory of a hero who gave everything for our safety,” the association wrote on Facebook. “His integrity, dedication, and heroism will never be forgotten.”
