San Diego officer released from hospital after fiery crash that killed other officer and suspect

A San Diego police officer who was critically injured in a fiery wreck that killed another officer has been released from a hospital, a week after the crash with a speeding driver who had been briefly pursued.

Officer Zach Martinez was released Tuesday. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said he has a long road to recovery but that Martinez and everyone in the department is grateful.

“Today is nothing short of a miracle,” Wahl said.

Killed in the crash was Officer Austin Machitar, who was driving the police vehicle that the two officers were in.

Also killed was the 16-year-old driver of the speeding car who had been briefly chased, which was the reason Machitar and Martinez were responding to the area, officials have said.

Martinez, a 27-year-old EMT and member of the Navy Reserves who has been with the police department for 1½ years, had been described as fighting for his life after the crash on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.

“The first officer that responded to him was also an EMT, and in his words, he thought he was dead,” Wahl said. “He said he tested for his pulse and was surprised when he found one.”

The crash occurred on Aug. 26 at around 11:30 p.m. after a different officer saw the teen driver speeding and tried to conduct a traffic stop, police have said.

The driver sped away and was chased before a supervisor called off the pursuit due to the dangerous speeds, Wahl said last week.

Machitar and Martinez were responding to that call when the driver crashed into them from the side, Wahl said.

Martinez suffered burns, a broken neck and multiple facial injuries, said Dr. Diane Wintz, trauma medical director at Sharp Memorial Hospital. There was no paralysis with the neck injury, she said.

The circumstances of the crash and exactly what occurred are under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

Wahl said that based on preliminary information, the time between the attempted traffic stop, brief pursuit and point of impact “is going to be very short. We’re talking 20, 30 seconds.”

Wahl said he spoke with Martinez before a news conference Tuesday announcing that he would be released, and that Martinez asked that the nurses and doctors be recognized for care that was “nothing short of amazing.”

“He’s very grateful, and he appreciates all of the prayers,” Wahl said.