Washington State Patrol announced with profound grief that Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting, 29, was struck and killed by a driver who fled the scene while she was handling a collision along State Route 509 Friday evening.
Guting was responding to a crash near milepost two on SR 509 when she was hit, according to WSP Chief John Batiste.
The impact left Guting “incapacitated” and “motionless in the right lane” of the roadway, the State Patrol said.
A pickup truck then ran over the fallen trooper and fled the scene, turning what was already a tragedy into a hit-and-run investigation.
Officials released photos of the pickup, describing the vehicle as dark or black in color and potentially a Chevrolet Avalanche or a Cadillac Escalade EXT. The vehicle is believed to have tinted windows, chrome door handles, and a chrome running board.
The driver responsible for the initial crash stayed at the scene and spoke with troopers and Tacoma police officers. That driver was not taken into custody.
“It’s very gloomy,” Batiste said early Saturday morning. “I have a bunch of troopers being debriefed at this time, so everyone has a hurt heart at this particular time.”
Batiste said he had previously met Guting, who had graduated from the academy just 13 months ago and was stationed in Tacoma.
He described her as a “wonderful young lady [who was doing] a heck of a job” since taking on the role.
The crash serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers state troopers face every day, Batiste added.
“That’s why I’m so grateful for her, in electing to do this work knowing the dangers associated with it. That speaks volumes,” Batiste said. “Someone willing to put themselves in harm’s way in order to protect others.”
Guting’s husband is a deputy fire marshal who works at the North Bend Fire Training Academy, Batiste said.
WSP has made arrangements to bring Guting’s family, who live in Hawaii, to Washington to move through the process of laying Tara to rest.
“These are some of the most difficult times to have to look a family in the eye and tell them that their loved one isn’t coming home,” Batiste said.
Guting was born July 19, 1996, to Russell and Cheryl Hirata in Honolulu, Hawaii.
She attended Mililani High School in Mililani, Hawaii, and graduated May 25, 2014.
She enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2014, serving as a signal intelligence analyst until 2022. Her dedication to service and commitment to her duties were evident throughout her eight-year military career, the State Patrol said.
She married Timothy on August 21, 2019, at the Fire Training Academy.
Batiste said Guting was the 34th trooper to die on the job throughout the agency’s 105-year history.
On Friday evening, just after 7:30 p.m., WSDOT posted that a collision had prompted a short stretch of SR 509 to be closed in both directions.
WSP then described the situation as a “critical incident involving a trooper,” as multiple law enforcement agencies took over the highway to investigate.
Hours later, the State Patrol held a press conference at 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning to share the devastating news with the public.
Tacoma police are leading the investigation into the crash that killed Guting.
The 13 months since Guting’s academy graduation means she was still in the early stages of her law enforcement career, full of promise and dedication to service that would never be fulfilled.
Her husband working as a deputy fire marshal means both partners understood the risks that come with emergency response work. They built a life together knowing the dangers but believing in the importance of the work.
The Fire Training Academy wedding location takes on poignant significance now. The couple married at a place dedicated to preparing first responders, symbolizing their shared commitment to public safety careers.
The eight years of military service before joining WSP demonstrates a pattern of choosing service over safer, easier paths. From Army National Guard to state trooper, Guting consistently put herself in positions protecting others.
