The Washington State Patrol has reported the tragic death of Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting, a 29-year-old officer who was struck by a vehicle while working on southbound State Route 509 in Tacoma. The incident occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening as she was investigating a two-car collision near milepost 2, south of the Port of Tacoma.
Investigation Underway
The Tacoma Police Department has taken charge of the investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the fatal crash. Despite immediate assistance from individuals at the scene, Trooper Guting succumbed to her injuries.
Trooper Guting had recently embarked on her career with the Washington State Patrol. She joined as a trooper cadet in January 2024, completed her training with the 119th Trooper Basic Training Class, and was officially commissioned on October 30. She was stationed in District 1, Tacoma.
Agency and Family Response
In an official statement, the patrol expressed profound sorrow over her passing, noting the deep impact on the agency and her family. Her husband, Timothy, serves as a deputy state fire marshal at the patrol's Fire Training Academy in North Bend.
Chief John R. Batiste conveyed his condolences, stating, "My heartfelt condolences go out to Timothy, Tara's extended family, her friends, her academy classmates, to District 1 Captain Gundermann, and his entire team. We will never forget Badge #720 – Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting." He added, "The sky has poured rain on us all for the past two weeks. And with this loss, now tears flood our souls."
Background and Service
Born on July 19, 1996, in Honolulu to Russell and Cheryl Hirata, Guting graduated from Mililani High School in 2014. She then enlisted in the Army National Guard, dedicating eight years as a signal intelligence analyst and honorably concluding her military service in October 2022. She married Timothy in August 2019 at the Fire Training Academy.
Historical Context of On-Duty Deaths
This loss adds to a somber list of patrol members who have died while serving the residents of Washington. In 2024, Trooper Christopher M. Gadd, 27, was killed after being hit by a motorist on Interstate 5 near Marysville. Other recent incidents include the death of Detective Eric T. Gunderson in 2021 from COVID-19 contracted during training and Trooper Justin R. Schaffer in 2020, who was struck while deploying spike strips on Interstate 5 in Chehalis.
Traffic-related incidents have posed a persistent threat to troopers for decades, with officers being struck while directing traffic, assisting motorists, investigating crashes, or conducting stops across the state. The earliest recorded on-duty death in the patrol's history dates back to 1923, when Patrolman Vernon Fortin died in a motorcycle collision en route to traffic duty at the Lynden fair.
As the agency reflects on over a century of service, each name represents a life committed to public safety and a family forever altered. Trooper Guting's death now joins those of 33 others, underscoring the daily risks faced by troopers on Washington's roadways.
