Washington State Patrol Trooper Killed While Investigating Crash

A Washington State Patrol trooper was killed Friday evening after being struck by a vehicle while investigating a crash along a Tacoma-area highway, authorities said.

What Happened on SR 509

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Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting, 29, was standing outside her patrol car responding to a two-vehicle collision when she was hit shortly before 7:30 p.m. on southbound State Route 509 near milepost 2, south of the Port of Tacoma, according to the Washington State Patrol.

People at the scene attempted to render aid, but Guting died from her injuries, the agency said. The Tacoma Police Department has taken over the investigation.

Trooper Guting’s Service and Career

Guting began her career with the Washington State Patrol as a trooper cadet in January 2024 and was commissioned later that year after graduating with the 119th Trooper Basic Training Class on Oct. 30. She was assigned to District 1 in Tacoma.

Her death marks the 34th time in the agency’s 105-year history that a trooper has been killed in the line of duty.

Guting is survived by her husband, Timothy, who serves as a deputy state fire marshal at the Washington State Patrol Fire Training Academy in North Bend.

Tributes from the Washington State Patrol

Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste offered condolences to Guting’s family, friends, and colleagues.

“We will never forget Badge #720 – Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting,” Batiste said. “The sky has poured rain on us all for the past two weeks… and with this loss, now tears flood our souls.”

A Life of Public Service

Born July 19, 1996, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Guting attended Mililani High School and graduated in 2014. She began a career of public service by enlisting in the Army National Guard later that year, serving honorably as a signal intelligence analyst for eight years until 2022.

She married Timothy on Aug. 21, 2019, at the Fire Training Academy.