’It happens way too often:’ Attorney says trooper crash points to dangers of high-speed pursuits

Minnesota Now

We are following new charges against a Minnesota state trooper who struck and killed 18-year-old Olivia Flores and injured five others in Rochester in May.

Trooper Shane Roper was following a vehicle for a "petty" traffic offense at 83 mph in a 40 mph zone without his lights or sirens activated. Flores was in another vehicle.

The Olmsted County Attorney's Office has now charged Trooper Roper with criminal vehicular homicide, second degree manslaughter and five counts of criminal vehicular operation.

Records show that four times earlier that day, his squad car had reached over 99 mph, also without lights or sirens on.

This is not the first time we've seen high-speed driving by law enforcement coincide with the deaths of civilians. In 2021, a Minneapolis police officer struck and killed Leneal Frazier after running a red light at over 90 mph in pursuit of a stolen Kia.

Jeff Storms, the attorney for the family of Leneal Frazier, joined MPR News host Nina Moini to share perspective on this latest case.