Flags waved on the median of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard Friday as members of the community paid their respects to the police officer who spent his last moments there.
Across the street, candles still burn for Edgar Giovanny Oviedo, or Gio, the 16 year old who also died in the pursuit.
“Well, I was surprised too because there's — if you said it happened on Monday — there's still people coming,” said Jackie, who came to visit the memorial and was not aware of the accident.
Those visiting the memorial I spoke to said it doubled in size overnight.
Community members stopped by to share their grief.
People brought flowers, candles and mementos, and they even made signs for Oviedo and Officer Machitar.
Others stopped by to pay respects after watching the scene Monday night.
“I've seen smoke fumes and people running in the streets, cop lights. Realized that there's a bad accident and then someone's on the ground,” said Alfred Bueno, who witnessed Monday’s accident.
A new report from the San Diego County Medical Examiner says Officer Austin Machitar died from head and neck trauma.
Additional information in the report says that Officer Zach Martinez was ejected from the patrol car onto the road.
He was taken to the hospital and remains there recovering from surgeries as of the latest update from his father.
“Right away my heart was thrown out to the person, and I immediately was praying for him when I seen him on the ground,” said Bueno.
The California Highway Patrol Border Division is conducting the investigation into this crash.
ABC 10News contacted the agency for an update, and as of Friday evening, our newsroom was waiting to hear back.
