Teen Driver Identified In Crash That Killed San Diego Police Officer

SAN DIEGO, CA — Authorities have identified the teenage driver who died in Monday night's multi-vehicle crash that also killed a San Diego police officer and left another officer critically injured.

The crash happened shortly after 11:30 p.m. near the intersection of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Doliva Drive. Edgar Giovanny Oviedo, 16, of San Diego was driving a BMW sedan eastbound when he crashed into the side of a police vehicle going northbound, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

The pursuit suspect was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner's office.

The pursuit began after police tried to stop the car for speeding down Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, according to the San Diego Police Department. A supervisor called off the pursuit due to the high rate of speed, but then the suspect car crashed into the side of a police vehicle, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said during a news conference.

Officer Austin Machitar, 30, died at the scene. He joined the department in March 2019 and was assigned to the Northern Division.

Machitar's patrol partner, Zachary Martinez, 27, was critically injured in the collision. He was in critical but stable condition at a local hospital.

There were at least two other civilian vehicles involved in the crash, Wahl said, but no other injuries were reported.

The California Highway Patrol was investigating the crash.