ROCHESTER, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) – A former Minnesota State Trooper, Shane Roper, has been booked on manslaughter charges for a crash that claimed the life of 18-year-old Olivia Flores of Owatonna. The 32-year-old ex-officer was allegedly speeding at 83 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone near the Apache Mall in Rochester while attempting to stop a vehicle for a minor traffic violation. Roper collided with an uninvolved car making a turn, killing Flores and injuring several others.
Investigations reveal this was not Roper’s first accident; records show he was involved in four prior crashes before the fatal incident. The Minnesota State Patrol confirmed last month that Roper is no longer employed by the agency. His trial is scheduled to begin in March.