Ex-MN State Patrol trooper denies fault in fatal Rochester collision
A former Minnesota State Trooper facing charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide has pleaded not guilty, leading to the case proceeding to trial scheduled for next year. The accused, Shane Roper, is alleged to have caused a fatal crash in Rochester resulting in the death of 18-year-old Olivia Flores while driving a state patrol cruiser at high speed without its emergency lights active. The trial is tentatively set to commence on March 2, 2026. Flores was a passenger in a Ford Focus that was struck by Roper's cruiser, leading to her death near Apache Mall in Rochester. The crash also left six people injured, including Roper, whose employment with the Minnesota State Patrol was terminated due to his 'reckless' actions. Prior to the fatal incident, Roper had been involved in four crashes, resulting in disciplinary actions in his employment record. Investigators found instances of Roper driving at excessive speeds even just before the collision, with reports of trying to catch up with another driver over a minor traffic violation.
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