7 October 2024
ROCHESTER — The now-fired Minnesota State Patrol trooper involved in the crash that killed 18-year-old Olivia Flores was booked, processed and released on Monday, according to the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center’s in-custody list.
District Judge Lisa Hayne was made aware that following Shane Elroy Roper’s arraignment on Aug. 29, the court “inadvertently neglected to order” that Roper be booked and fingerprinted, the court document said.
Roper had two weeks from Sept. 26 to report to the Olmsted County ADC to be booked and fingerprinted. According to the in-custody list, he was booked and released.
At his initial appearance, Roper was released on the standard conditions, including not driving under any circumstances. His bail without conditions was set at $100,000.
Roper is facing nine criminal charges in Olmsted County District Court, including felony counts of second-degree manslaughter, criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation. He pleaded not guilty to all nine counts on Aug. 29.
If the parties do not reach a resolution during November’s settlement conference, a pretrial hearing is scheduled for March 25, 2025, with a jury trial beginning the week after.
Roper was recently dismissed by Minnesota State Patrol following an internal investigation into his actions on May 18, the day of the crash.
According to the criminal complaint, Roper quickly approached the intersection of Apache Drive Southwest, an area where the primary entry points to the Apache Mall are located. This area tends to have “very active traffic … on a typical Saturday.”
When Roper’s car was 400 feet from the intersection, the squad camera showed a green traffic signal for eastbound traffic. A larger SUV also traveling east entered the left turn lane to go onto Memorial Parkway Southwest, obstructing the view for vehicles turning onto Apache Drive Southwest, the complaint said.
A Ford Focus with three passengers was in that turn lane and attempted to drive through the intersection. Flores was in the Ford Focus and died as a result of the crash.
“Due to Roper’s excessive speed (traveling 83 miles per hour and at full throttle up until 1.4 seconds before impact), when the Ford Focus started through the intersection, Roper was unable to sufficiently brake or maneuver his squad car to avoid the collision,” the complaint says.
Roper’s squad car hit the passenger side of the Ford Focus while traveling at least 55 mph. The impact sent both cars east through the intersection to collide with a Toyota Rav4. There were two people in the Toyota.
Witnesses told police that the oncoming vehicle was “flying.” Witnesses did not see or hear emergency lights or a siren.
According to the complaint, the Ford Focus driver sustained a liver laceration, a bruised kidney and numerous additional minor injuries. The front passenger sustained a broken pelvis, lacerated kidney and other minor injuries. The passengers of the Toyota Rav4 sustained physical pain from the collision. In the squad car, Roper had a ride-along passenger who sustained rib bruising and multiple fractures from the crash.
Weeks after the incident, Roper confirmed to law enforcement that he was attempting to “close the gap” between his squad car and a vehicle suspected of being in violation of a traffic code, the Post Bulletin previously reported. Roper said it was not an active pursuit and that he was not paying attention to his speed, according to the criminal complaint. He told police he did believe his lights were activated.
The complaint said Roper was also found traveling at 135 mph in a 55-mph zone on May 18 in response to a medical assistance call.
“On the way to this call, he noted to his passenger that medical assistance likely would not be needed and that driving in such a manner was normal behavior for him,” the complaint said.
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