State trooper fired for crash that killed Owatonna cheerleader, injured 5 others
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota State Patrol last week fired one of its troopers last week for causing a crash that killed a high school senior earlier this year.
The crash happened at the intersection of 12th Street Southwest and Apache Drive Southwest in Rochester on May 18.
Court documents say trooper Shane Roper was driving his squad car with "excessive speed" and without his lights on when he hit a Ford Focus that was trying to make its way through the intersection. The impact then caused the two cars to hit a Toyota Rav4.
The impact killed 18-year-old Olivia Flores and hurt five others. Roper also had a passenger with him at the time, a "ride-along," who was also injured.
Roper said he was chasing someone, but in newly released documents, the state patrol said there is "simply no justification" for his actions.
The state patrol says Roper's conduct has "seriously undermined his integrity and trustworthiness with the public."
In a statement weeks after the crash, Roper said he was trying to "close the gap" between his squad car and the vehicle he suspected of the traffic violation. He said he was not in active pursuit, was not paying attention to his speed, and thought his lights were still activated. Roper added that he attempted to "clear" the intersection before he entered it.
Documents say Roper's driving records reveal four prior crashes due to his "inattentive driving or excessive speed." Three hours before the fatal collision on May 18, he was driving over 99 mph on "numerous occasions" while trying to initiate traffic stops, even at one point traveling 135 mph in a 55 mph zone without his lights or siren. Court documents also note that he has had consistent driving-related training over his eight years with the state patrol.
In July, Roper was charged with second-degree manslaughter, one count of criminal vehicular homicide and five counts of criminal vehicular operation, as well as reckless driving and careless driving counts.
