SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — On Saturday, family, friends, and the San Diego Police Department said their final goodbyes to fallen Officer Austin Machitar.
Machitar was killed in the line of duty on Aug. 26 during a high-speed pursuit that ended in a deadly crash.
A procession escorting Machitar’s casket went from Snapdragon Stadium to Shadow Mountain Community Church, where a memorial service was held.
“We lost a good one on Aug. 26,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said as he remembered his first impression of Machitar.
“When Austin saw me, he came straight over, and with that infectious smile of his, he shook my hand and said, ‘Hey, Captain, welcome to Northern Division.’ I knew immediately he was a leader.”
Machitar was 30 when he died. He grew up in San Diego and joined the police department in 2019, serving five and a half years.
His sergeant, Andrew Schidecker, and his Northern Division squad also spoke at the memorial service. Machitar’s partner, Officer Zachary Martinez, who survived the crash, was among them.
“He was naturally gifted at making friends wherever he went. From the moment I met him, he stood out,” Schidecker said.
Machitar’s niece and nephew made a video for their uncle, recalling his final words: “The last thing you said to me when I saw you Sunday night at your house was ‘Ball out, Juju.’ I wish you were here so I could say I love you and hug you, and you could call me ‘Kenzie girl’ one last time.”
Machitar’s sister, Asia Machitar, described her brother as her hero.
“We all now have a new guardian angel in the sky who smiles and watches over us. Rest in peace, my little brother. I love you so much, until we meet again,” she said.
The memorial service ended with the traditional riderless horse, a 21-gun salute, taps, a bagpipe performance, and an ABLE flyover as Machitar’s casket was taken to its final resting place at El Camino Memorial.
