A Minnesota state trooper with a spotty driving record was charged with manslaughter and vehicular homicide Tuesday in a high-speed crash that killed a high school cheerleader weeks before she was set to graduate.
Witnesses said Shane Roper, 32, was allegedly "hauling ass" and "flying" in a patrol car without its emergency lights or siren activated when it T-boned a Ford Focus making a left turn near the Apache Mall in Rochester around 5:40 p.m. on May 18.
One or both cars then struck a Toyota RAV4 SUV, leaving all five people in the civilian vehicles seriously injured.
Olivia Flores, 18, of Owatonna, Minnesota, who was traveling in the rear in the Focus, died of blunt force trauma at a local hospital.
A "ride along" passenger in Roper's car suffered multiple fractures but Roper escaped with minor injuries, according to authorities.
An investigation revealed that Roper had floored the accelerator and was traveling at 83 mph — more than twice the 40 mph speed limit — when he approached the intersection, Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem said in a news release.
Roper, who said he was pursuing a suspected traffic violator, allegedly didn't ease off the accelerator until 1.4 seconds before impact.
"Trooper Roper, violating his duty in such a gross fashion, caused the death of a young lady celebrating her impending graduation from high school," Ostrem said. "As with any other person driving recklessly and without regard to very basic rules of the road, Mr. Roper's conduct cannot be tolerated."
Roper didn't have a lawyer listed for him, the Associated Press said.
The investigation into the deadly crash revealed that Roper drove in excess of 99 mph four times earlier in the day and once reached 135 mph, all without his emergency lights on, Ostrem said.
Roper's disciplinary records also showed he was involved in four earlier crashes blamed on "inattentive driving or excessive speed," according to the criminal complaint against him.
In addition to the charges in Flores' death, which each carry a maximum 10 years in prison, Roper faces seven lesser counts involving the other victims.
The Minnesota State Patrol said Roper was on paid leave pending resolution of the case.
"We express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Olivia Flores and to the other community members affected by the tragic fatal crash that occurred on May 18 in Rochester," Col. Christina Bogojevic said in a statement reported by the Star Tribune. "The conduct alleged in the criminal complaint is concerning and does not align with the State Patrol's core values."
