State Patrol: ‘No justification’ for fired trooper’s reckless driving that killed Owatonna teenager

An investigation by the Minnesota State Patrol determined there was “no justification” for the way former trooper Shane Roper was driving at the time of a crash that killed Owatonna teenager Olivia Flores.

Roper, 32, was fired by the patrol earlier this month for violating five orders of the patrol, including his oath. He had been on paid investigative leave since the May 18 crash. He faces nine criminal charges for his role in the crash, including criminal vehicular homicide and manslaughter. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his first court appearance on Aug. 29.

“Trp. Roper’s conduct has seriously undermined his integrity and trustworthiness with the public,” the Patrol’s Lt. Colonel Jeremy Geiger wrote in a statement of charges against Roper. “His conduct shows a disregard for the State Patrol’s mission of traffic safety and reflects discredit on the agency.”

The Patrol’s investigation found that Roper failed to “exercise good judgment and drive with due regard for the safety of others” when he crashed his patrol car into a vehicle occupied by Flores, 18, who died the next day of blunt-force injuries. Five others were seriously injured in the three-car crash.

“Given the totality of circumstances presented here and Trp. Roper’s knowledge of this area, it was reckless to travel through this green light at such high speeds,” Geiger said.

The Patrol says Roper had attempted to make a traffic stop on a speeding driver when he exited Hwy. 52 onto a 40 mph road near the Apache Mall. His emergency lights were not activated, the patrol confirmed, as he approached the intersection at about 80 mph. Witnesses described the trooper’s squad car as coming in like “a rocket.”

“While Trp. Roper may understand the impact of his conduct today, it does not mitigate the poor judgment he showed on May 18, 2024 that will continue to affect him, the State Patrol, and most importantly, the family, friends, and community of those impacted in the crash,” Geiger said.

The fatal crash was the latest in a series of on-duty crashes involving Roper. State Patrol records show Roper had been reprimanded on four occasions for reckless driving dating to 2019. The discipline amounted to two written warnings and two days of unpaid suspension.

Flores’ parents are planning to file a wrongful death suit against Roper. They told the Minnesota Star Tribune that Roper should never have been on the road given his disciplinary history.

Roper, who is out on conditional bail, has yet to be booked by the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office. He is due back in court Nov. 21 for a settlement conference.

Roper’s attorney, Eric Nelson, declined comment for this story.