MN Trooper Charged In Crash Killing Teen Girl About To Graduate

ROCHESTER, MN — A trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol was charged Tuesday in connection with a May crash that killed 18-year-old Olivia Flores and injured five others in Rochester.

Shane Roper faces charges of second-degree manslaughter, criminal vehicle homicide, and criminal vehicular operation.

"Trooper Roper, violating his duty in such a gross fashion, caused the death of a young lady celebrating her impending graduation from high school," said Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem.

"Several other persons suffered serious injury. Roper’s conduct violated the State Patrol’s Core Values. As with any other person driving recklessly and without regard to very basic rules of the road, Mr. Roper’s conduct cannot be tolerated."

Col. Christina Bogojevic, chief of the Minnesota State Patrol, stated the following:

We express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Olivia Flores and to the other community members affected by the tragic fatal crash that occurred on May 18 in Rochester. Today the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office announced charges against Trooper Shane Roper. The conduct alleged in the criminal complaint is concerning and does not align with the State Patrol’s core values. The announcement of charges marks the next steps in the judicial process related to this case. We respect that process and cannot comment further due to ongoing criminal proceedings. In accordance with the troopers’ labor contract, Trooper Shane Roper remains on paid investigative leave.

More than $40,000 was raised for Flores' family on GoFundMe.

At about 5:45 p.m. on May 18, emergency responders were dispatched to a crash at the entrance to Rocheter's Apache Mall.

A Minnesota State Patrol car, driven by Roper, had t-boned a Ford Focus, investigators said. Either one or both vehicles were then pushed into a Toyota Rav4, according to authorities.

The occupants of the Focus and Rav4 needed to be extracted before they were all hospitalized.

Flores, weeks away from graduating high school, died hours after the crash. Five other occupants suffered broken bones and other serious injuries.

Roper had minor injuries, authorities said.

The Rochester Police Department investigated the crash. Before the crash, Roper had been stationary on an exit ramp to Highway 52 doing traffic enforcement.

Roper activated his emergency lights and exited the ramp "at a very high rate of speed," reaching 98 mph in an attempt to catch up to a traffic violator, according to investigators.

Roper exited the highway, turned off his emergency lights and sirens, and accelerated to "full throttle" reaching 83 mph near the mall entrance, authorities said. The speed limit on the road was 40 mph, prosecutors said.

A Focus began a left turn into the mall when Roper’s squad slammed into the passenger side of the Focus, according to authorities. Roper did not come off the full throttle until the Focus started into the intersection, approximately 1.4 seconds before impact, investigators said.

Roper’s patrol vehicle "violently impacted" the Focus, prosecutors state.

At least four times earlier in the day on May 18, Roper engaged in high-speed driving without emergency lights, in one instance reaching a speed of 135 mph, other times over 99 mph, authorities said.

Minnesota State Patrol policy states that personnel have a "duty to protect all peoples’ lives to the extent possible when enforcing the law." Roper violated that policy by driving in a grossly negligent manner attempting to catch up to a petty traffic violator on a consistently busy roadway, authorities said.