Tara-Marysa Guting
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) confirmed early Saturday morning that Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting was killed on Friday evening.
The 29-year-old was standing outside her patrol car investigating a two-vehicle crash when another vehicle hit her just before 7:30 p.m. on southbound State Route 509, south of the Port of Tacoma.
Despite efforts by people at the scene, the trooper later died from her injuries.
In a statement, the WSP said, “Tara’s loss is deeply felt within the WSP family, and especially by her husband, Timothy, who himself serves as a Deputy State Fire Marshal at the WSP Fire Training Academy in North Bend.”
“The sky has poured rain on us all for the past two weeks. With this loss, now tears flood our souls.”
Guting was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. She attended Mililani High School in Mililani and graduated in 2014. She served in the Army National Guard for eight years and married her husband in 2019. She began her career with the WSP as a trooper cadet in January 2024.
Guting is the 34th WSP trooper killed in the line of duty in the agency’s 105-year history.
WSP Chief John R. Batiste said, “We will never forget Badge #720 – Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting.”