Police officer charged with Rochester accident that killed teenager faces trial

ROCHESTER, MN (KROC-AM News) – The Minnesota State Trooper charged in the fatal traffic accident of a young woman in Rochester is scheduled to appear in court for the first time on Thursday.

18-year-old Olivia Flores died just weeks before his high school graduation in an accident at the 12th St. Southwest/Hwy. 14 entrance to Apache Mall in Rochester on May 18.

Five other people, including the police officer and a passenger, were injured in the three-vehicle accident.

In July, Olmsted County District Attorney Mark Ostrom released a letter announcing 32-year-old soldier Shane Roper was charged with second-degree manslaughter, negligent homicide, and multiple counts of negligent assault.

The letter states that the Rochester Police Department's investigation revealed that the Hayfield man was initially stationed at the Southwest 6th Street on-ramp to enforce traffic laws when he turned on the squad's blue lights and accelerated southbound on Highway 52 to speeds of 98 miles per hour to stop a motorist for a traffic violation.

Roper then exited Highway 52 at the Highway 14 eastbound ramp near Apache Mall and turned off his hazard lights while driving at a high rate of speed, Ostrom said.

According to the accident investigation, Roper's squad was estimated to have approached the intersection at the mall entrance at a speed of 83 miles per hour with no blue lights flashing in the 40 mph zone.

The investigation revealed that Roper took his foot off the accelerator just 1.4 seconds before colliding with the passenger side of the vehicle carrying Flores as it made a left turn.

According to Ostrom, the investigation also revealed that Roper drove at high speeds without warning lights at least four times on the day of the fatal accident, with a top speed of 217 km/h.

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