Clockwise from left: Olivia Flores (GoFundMe), Shane Roper trooper vehicle following crash that killed Flores in Minnesota in May 2024. Bottom right: More scenes from crash (KMSP/YouTube).
A Minnesota State Trooper with a reported history of driving at excessive speeds has been criminally charged in a crash that killed high school cheerleader Olivia Flores, an 18-year-old just weeks away from graduating when Trooper Shane Roper, 32, driving without lights or sirens, plowed into her vehicle at 83 mph in a 40 mph zone.
Flores died and five others were injured in the May 18 crash, according to a statement from Olmstead County Attorney Mark Ostrem released Tuesday.
Ostrem alleges it was in the moments just before crashing into Flores that Roper pushed the gas to “full throttle” and turned off his lights and sirens.
Roper, 32, is charged with second-degree manslaughter as well as criminal vehicular homicide, reckless driving and five counts of criminal vehicular operation.
According to a report by local ABC affiliate KSTP, one of the crash survivors recalled Roper’s car approaching like a “rocket” toward them as they were near the intersection of a mall in Rochester. Witnesses initially disclosed that Roper was seen driving his trooper vehicle into a Ford Focus as it made a left turn and that the Focus was pushed into a nearby Toyota RAV4. Flores was in the Ford Focus with two others. There were two people in the RAV4.
Though all were rushed to an area hospital, only Flores succumbed to her injuries and died.
Jenna Compton, Flores’ cheer coach, called then teen “a shining light” in a recent interview with KSTP.
According to prosecutors, Roper has been involved in four prior crashes caused by inattentive driving or speeding. In one incident, investigators said he drove over 99 mph multiple times on the day of the crash. That also included driving 135 mph in a 55 mph zone for an emergency call with neither his lights nor his sirens on then, either.
Ostrem said that Roper had a person riding in his vehicle with him at the time of the crash on May 18 and that person was also injured.
When he was allegedly speeding more than 40 mph over the limit on May 18, investigators say Roper was trying to catch up to another driver for a petty offense.
Flores’ family has requested an independent investigation, according to their attorney Thomas Braun.
Minnesota State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic expressed the department’s condolences and said Roper’s alleged actions are “concerning” because they did 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,” Bogojevic said in a statement obtained by Law&Crime.
Roper remains on paid investigative leave per his labor contract, according to the department. He is not in custody at this time and was charged by summons.
“It is the policy of the Minnesota State Patrol that personnel have a ‘duty to protect all peoples’ lives to the extent possible when enforcing the law,”” Ostrem said Tuesday. “Trooper Roper violated that policy driving in a grossly negligent manner attempting to catch up to a petty traffic violator on a consistently busy roadway. Trooper Roper, violating his duty in such a gross fashion, caused the death of a young lady celebrating her impending graduation from high school. 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.”
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