Fired state trooper involved in fatal Rochester crash booked, released – InForum

ROCHESTER – The now-fired Minnesota State Patrol trooper involved in the crash that killed 18-year-old Olivia Flores was arraigned, processed and released Monday, according to the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center’s incarceration list.

District Judge Lisa Hayne was made aware that after Shane Elroy Roper was arraigned on Aug. 29, the court “inadvertently failed to order” that Roper be arraigned and fingerprinted, the court document said.

Beginning Sept. 26, Roper had two weeks to report to the Olmsted County ADC to be booked and fingerprinted. According to the detention list, he was provisionally arrested and released.

In his first appearance, Roper was released under the usual conditions, including not being allowed to drive under any circumstances. His bail with no conditions was set at $100,000.

Roper faces nine criminal charges in Olmsted County District Court, including second-degree manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter and negligent driving. On August 29, he pleaded not guilty to all nine counts.

If the parties do not reach an agreement during the settlement conference in November, a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 25, 2025, with a jury trial beginning the following week.

Roper was recently fired from the 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 main entrances to Apache Mall are located. This area tends to see “very busy traffic… on a typical Saturday.”

When Roper’s car was 400 feet from the intersection, the patrol camera showed a green light for eastbound traffic. A larger SUV that was also traveling east strayed into the left turn lane to enter Memorial Parkway Southwest, blocking the view of vehicles turning onto Apache Drive Southwest, the complaint states.

A Ford Focus with three passengers was in this turning lane and attempted to drive through the intersection. Flores was in the Ford Focus and died as a result of the accident.

“Due to Roper’s excessive speed (83 miles per hour and full throttle until 1.4 seconds before impact), upon approaching the intersection, Roper was unable to brake or maneuver his patrol car sufficiently to avoid the collision.” the complaint says.

Roper’s patrol car crashed into the passenger side of the Ford Focus at a speed of at least 55 miles per hour. The impact sent both cars flying east across the intersection and collided 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 suffered a ruptured liver, a bruised kidney and numerous other minor injuries. The passenger suffered a broken pelvis, a ruptured kidney and other minor injuries. The passengers of the Toyota Rav4 suffered physical pain as a result of the collision. Roper was in the patrol car with a passenger who suffered bruised ribs and multiple fractures in the accident.

Weeks after the incident, Roper confirmed to law enforcement that he was trying to “close the gap” between his patrol car and a vehicle suspected of violating a traffic law, the Post Bulletin previously reported. Roper said it was not an active pursuit and that he was not paying attention to his speed, the criminal complaint states. He told police he believed his lights were on.

The complaint states that on May 18, Roper was also traveling at 135 mph in a 55 mph zone in response to a medical call for assistance.

“On the way to this call, he remarked to his passenger that he probably did not need medical attention and that such behavior was normal behavior for him,” the complaint states.