Trooper Criminally Charged After 'Full Throttle' Car Crash That Killed Teen

A Minnesota state trooper who had a history of on-the-job car crashes is facing criminal charges two months after hitting a vehicle at “full throttle,” killing an 18-year-old who was inside.

Shane Roper, 32, is facing seven charges, including manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide, in connection to the May 18 collision that killed 18-year-old Olivia Flores weeks before her high school graduation, Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem announced Tuesday.

Roper was driving down the highway with a civilian “ride along” passenger on the evening of May 18, following a vehicle suspected of committing a petty traffic offense, according to a criminal complaint obtained by HuffPost.

Rochester police, who took over the investigation of the crash, said that Roper exited a ramp and turned his sirens and lights off before accelerating at full-throttle. In less than a quarter of a mile, Roper reached 83 miles per hour on a street with a speed limit of 40.

Roper’s squad car slammed into the passenger side of a Ford Focus with three occupants inside, including Flores, police said. The collision caused both vehicles to crash into a Toyota RAV4, which had two people inside, according to the complaint. The driver of the Ford Focus described Roper’s incoming speed as like a “rocket.”

Rochester authorities said no witnesses saw emergency lights or heard sirens, according to the complaint.

Flores, who was sitting in the back seat of the Ford Focus, died as a result of blunt force injuries from the collision, according to the complaint. Both the driver and front passenger were also injured in the crash.

During his interview with detectives several weeks after the incident, Roper stated that he was not in an active pursuit at the time