As a pair, Vilamalia Polina Tu’ipulotu and Beaux Tagaloa were inseparable. Deeply in love, planning a wedding and looking forward to a family — family and friends said they had a love that couldn’t be ignored.
“You could tell they were deeply, deeply in love,” Emily Tu’ipulotu said of her sister and prospective brother-in-law. “They had a love that could be felt by everyone.”
It is the memory of that love that is somewhat helping the Tu’ipulotu family navigate a path that turned tragic Sunday. Vilamalia Tu’ipulotu died, and Tagaloa was critically injured when a car pursued by the California Highway Patrol slammed into their SUV at about 12:40 a.m. in Pittsburg.
A fundraiser created for the family for her funeral arrangements had raised more than $48,500 by 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Tagaloa, an assistant football coach at Diablo Valley College and a former star defensive lineman at De La Salle High in Concord, remained in critical condition Tuesday.
Emily Tu’ipulotu said Tagaloa is improving.
“DVC is devastated by this tragedy,” Athletic Director Christine Worsley wrote in an email. “Our thoughts and concerns go out to Beaux and his family at this very difficult time.”
The two had attended a family event Saturday night and were on their way home when the chain of events unfolded. California Highway Patrol spokesperson Officer Andrew Barclay said officers followed a stolen gray Infiniti sedan going more than 100 mph on eastbound state Highway 4, east of the Bailey Road exit.
The officers caught up to the car at the Railroad Avenue exit, then tried to pull it over when the CHP said it failed to stop for a red light. The CHP said a pursuit that lasted about one minute on East Leland Road ended when the Infiniti hit the SUV as it approached the intersection of East Leland Road and Gladstone Drive. Officers later found a stolen handgun at the crash scene, the CHP said.
The driver of the Infiniti also was hospitalized. The CHP has not released an update on that person’s condition.
Vilamalia Tu’ipuloto died at the scene.
“She’s the baby of the family,” Emily Tu’ipulotu said. “She was so full of life. I let everyone know that she had a radiant soul that gleamed. Everyone enjoyed being in her presence. She was always smiling, a wonderful auntie to nine kids, a wonderful sister. And she was looking forward to getting married and starting a family.”
She also gave back to those who had helped lead her way when she was younger, her sister said. She made great sacrifices to do so, commuting from Pittsburg to her alma mater, San Mateo High School, where she was a security officer.
She’d become engaged to Tagaloa in February of 2024. He was forging a coaching career after playing at Cal and San Jose State.
A statement from the Cal football program that was released on social media said “our entire Cal family is keeping former player Beaux Tagaloa and all those impacted in our thoughts” following the wreck.
“We’re very grateful for everyone’s love,” Emily Tu’ipulotu said. “It’s such a sudden loss, so we’re still trying to process everything. We’re trying to plan her funeral, and waiting to receive continued better news with Beau and getting him discharged. We’re just doing the best we can.”