SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Months after a fatal accident took the life of police Officer Austin Machitar, a memorial still stands on Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
His partner, Zach Martinez, speaking out and saying, while he may not remember anything the day of the crash, waking up in the hospital and finding out what happened still doesnt feel real.
“It feels like you're watching the news and you see something else that had happened to someone else you're like, wow, that's really sad. And it's super difficult to … put together that I was the one in that, I was the one in that passenger seat and I lost my partner that day,” said Officer Zach Martinez, as he recalls the day that a vehicle hit his patrol car at 90 mph.
A months old memorial, and a black mourning band.
Both holding the memories of fallen San Diego Police Officer Austin Machitar.
“I know it might be kind of a sensitive question, but is there anything you wish you would have said to him before he passed?” I asked.
“I wish I would have said thank you again because he had taught me a lot,” said Officer Martinez.
His partner, Zach Martinez, grieving the loss while recovering from a broken neck and severe burns.
He describes the moments after being ejected from their patrol car, after it was broadsided by a vehicle going 90 miles an hour.
“I remember there was a period in which I now know is my coma it was like a mesh of dark and light. I said a prayer at the end of the prayer. I woke up and I was my mom was right next to me,” said Officer Martinez.
That prayer was for a second chance, which is now his reality.
“So when I first woke up in the coma, I was in, I was obviously delusional. I mean, as anyone would be, and my first thought was I don't ever want to be a police officer again, and I had the quick reminder to like, not myself, no one told me anything but to myself that was my childhood dream. I've always wanted to be a police officer since I was a little kid. I can't just give up on a dream because something gets hard,, and so I did that and here we are. I'm truly grateful to be able to get another chance to do it again,” said Officer Martinez.
His first day back on patrol was Saturday.
