State Trooper charged in May death of Owatonna teen

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KVRR/FOX 9) — A Minnesota state trooper is now charged with manslaughter after a deadly crash in Rochester, Minnesota, in May that claimed the life of an Owatonna teen.

Trooper Shane Roper, 32, is charged with manslaughter, criminal vehicular homicide, criminal vehicular operation, careless driving, and reckless driving for the May 18 crash that left 18-year-old Olivia Flores dead.

After the crash, Roper told officers he was trying to trail a driver he suspected of a traffic violation.

A witness had told police the squad was moving like “a rocket.”

According to the charges, officers found Trooper Roper had been involved in four previous crashes while driving his squad.