Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting is being fondly remembered by those who knew her for her life and commitment to service.
On Dec. 19, 2025, Guting lost her life while on duty. She was outside her vehicle attending to a collision on SR 509 in Tacoma when she was struck and fatally injured by another motorist.
Born in Hawaii on July 19, 1996, Guting lived much of her life there. She completed her education at Mililani High School in Mililani, Hawaii, receiving her diploma on May 25, 2014.
In Mililani, a former Judo coach reflects on her uplifting nature and how she motivated others.
Speaking to HawaiiNewsNow.com, coach Kalani Takase became emotional while discussing his former student, stating:
“She was a tremendous supporter, consummate teammate. She had the personality that I think teammates would just kind of gravitate to because she was always positive, you know, when practices would get hard, when losses might, you know, provide a setback or hit a student with a setback.”
He mentioned to HawaiiNewsNow that she applied these same traits in her professional life.
“In sports, especially youth sports up to the high school level, you’re trying to instill in these athletes teamwork, sacrifice, perseverance, grit, giving your best for those who depend on you. And Tara, you know, did that in her daily life as a member of the National Guard first and then eventually with the Washington State Troopers. So I’m very proud of her for the person that she is and the contributions she made to our society,” continues Takase.
Takase noted that Guting was one of four siblings and they shared a close bond. He remembered that she offered support to her mother and siblings following their father's passing in November 2021.
