LOS ANGELES: A police officer and a suspect were killed in a fiery pursuit crash in San Diego, California.
Another police officer was seriously injured in the multi-vehicle crash that happened at around 11:30 p.m. on Monday local time at the intersection of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Doliva Drive in the Southern California coastal city, according to the San Diego Police Department, authorities said on Tuesday.
San Diego Police Department Chief Scott Wahl told the media during a news conference on Tuesday that police officers tried to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle at a high rate of speed, but the driver refused to pull over, Xinhua news agency reported.
The suspect vehicle later collided with the side of a police patrol car responding to the incident.
The officer driving the patrol car and the suspect died at the scene. The other officer sustained critical injuries and was fighting for his life in hospital.
Officials said that the California Highway Patrol will conduct an independent investigation of the crash.
Austin Machitar was the officer who died at the scene. Zach Martinez was injured at Sharp Memorial Hospital.
The San Diego Police Officers Association has created a Fund a Hero donation page to support the families of the officers. The money will go directly to the Machitar and Martinez families.