Cheerleader Olivia Flores was about to graduate. As a substitute, her household deliberate her funeral

It was a Saturday afternoon when Stephanie and Carlos Flores heard the ping of a notification on their telephones that modified their lives without end.

The notification got here from Life360, a location-sharing app they used with their daughter, 18-year-old Olivia Flores, alerting them a crash had been detected.

“We have been yelling, like, ‘Olivia, decide up your cellphone, decide up your cellphone,’” Carlos Flores, Olivia’s father, advised CNN affiliate KTTC.

Shortly after, the household acquired a name saying Olivia had been in an accident. They rushed to the hospital to be by her facet. There, the information solely obtained worse, main them to make the heart-wrenching resolution to take their solely daughter off life assist, they advised KTTC.

The household’s shock shortly was anger as they discovered a Minnesota state trooper with a historical past of driving misconduct, together with 4 earlier on-duty crashes, had allegedly been chargeable for the crash that killed Olivia, simply weeks earlier than she was set to stroll the stage of her highschool commencement.

Shane Roper, 32, is dealing with a number of felony costs together with second-degree manslaughter and prison vehicular murder, based on a prison grievance filed in July. Roper can also be dealing with three felony counts of prison vehicular operation leading to substantial bodily hurt and a number of misdemeanors, based on the grievance.

Roper pleaded not responsible on Thursday to all prison costs associated to the Might 18 accident that claimed Olivia’s’ life and injured others, based on Minnesota court records.

Roper was in Rochester close to the Apache Mall touring 83 mph, greater than double the pace restrict, when a Ford Focus containing three individuals together with Olivia started crossing the intersection. Unable to brake or swerve in time, Roper struck the Ford Focus and each vehicles struck a 3rd automobile, a Toyota RAV4, containing two individuals, the grievance mentioned. Roper’s squad automobile struck the Ford Focus whereas transferring not less than 55 miles mph, based on the grievance.

“The motive force of the Ford Focus described the pace of the oncoming car as
‘a rocket,’” the prison grievance mentioned. “Different witnesses described the pace of the oncoming car as ‘flying,’ ‘in a blink of an eye fixed,’ and ‘hauling ass.’”

Roper mentioned he was “trying to ‘shut the hole’” between his automobile and one other car “he suspected of being in violation of the site visitors code,” based on the grievance, citing a press release Roper offered to legislation enforcement. He “mentioned he was not taking note of his pace,” and thought his emergency lights have been activated. He additionally mentioned he “tried to ‘clear’ the intersection” earlier than driving via it, the grievance mentioned.

Neither the motive force of the Ford Focus nor any witnesses mentioned they noticed or heard emergency lights or a siren, based on the grievance. Olivia, who was a rear seat passenger, died resulting from blunt drive accidents, based on the grievance. The motive force of the Ford Focus suffered a liver laceration and bruised kidney, whereas the opposite passenger within the car sustained a damaged pelvis and a lacerated kidney. The occupants of the Toyota RAV4 each “suffered bodily ache,” the grievance mentioned. Roper additionally had a passenger in his squad automobile — a experience alongside — who sustained rib bruising and a number of fractures as a result of crash.

Earlier through the day of the accident, Roper engaged in high-speed driving a number of instances, together with one occasion the place he drove 135 mph in a 55 mph zone whereas responding to a name with out turning on his lights or sirens and advised his experience alongside passenger he was used to driving in that method, based on the grievance.

“Roper’s driving conduct on Might 18, together with the excessive charge of pace, failure to confirm the intersection was protected for passage, and failure to make use of lights or a siren to alert different drivers on the roadway of his presence, was grossly negligent and reckless in nature,” the grievance mentioned. “This conduct disregarded the security and lives of different people on or close to the roadway. Roper’s driving conduct finally prompted the collision and ensuing loss of life and accidents of the victims.”

CNN reached out to Roper’s lawyer on Thursday however has not acquired a response. Roper and his lawyer have requested a jury trial, which is scheduled for March 31, 2025.

Roper stays on paid depart, in accordance together with his trooper contract, based on Minnesota State Patrol Chief Col. Christina Bogojevic.

“Our ideas and honest condolences stay with Olivia’s household, pals and family members,” Bogojevic advised CNN. “Trooper Shane Roper’s alleged conduct outlined within the prison grievance doesn’t align with the State Patrol’s core values. Out of respect for the judicial course of, we can’t remark additional.”

Household mourns lack of daughter

Olivia, a captain on the cheerleading group at Owatonna Excessive College, was a cherished daughter, sister and teammate whose loss has been felt broadly all through her group.

“She ought to’ve been in a position to stroll throughout the stage,” Carlos Flores advised KTTC, sporting a hand-crafted bracelet with small beads that learn “LLO,” which stands for “Lengthy Stay Olivia.” “Due to you, (Roper) we deliberate a funeral as an alternative of her commencement get together.”

“Due to your selection, I don’t get to bop with my daughter at her wedding ceremony.”

Owatonna Huskies cheerleaders held a number of occasions, together with a dinner and silent public sale, to honor their teammate and lift funds for the Flores household.

“It’s with damaged hearts now we have to say goodbye to our Olivia,” Owatonna Huskies Cheerleading mentioned in a Facebook post. “She was such an incredible cheerleader, pal and particular person. She touched many lives and our lives will without end be modified from her brightening them.”

A GoFundMe was set as much as assist the Flores household as they navigate their loss.

State trooper concerned in 4 earlier crashes

Upon a overview of his disciplinary report as a Minnesota State Patrol trooper, officers found he was concerned with 4 prior crashes whereas driving his squad automobile “both resulting from inattentive driving or extreme pace,” based on the prison grievance.

“There was a constant sample of Roper reaching and sustaining these excessive speeds both with out activating his emergency lights in any respect, or turning them off whereas driving at excessive charges of pace,” the grievance mentioned.

Roper was “disciplined primarily based on coverage violation” and suspended after two of these crashes, Bogojevic confirmed to CNN.

Throughout his eight years as a trooper, Roper has acquired driving-related coaching about 13 instances since 2016 and discovered danger administration, braking methods, braking limitations, emergency and nonemergency driving, and legal responsibility concerned in emergency and nonemergency driving, based on the grievance.

“Blows my thoughts that any person thought, yeah, this particular person with 4 previous problems with the identical factor shall be superb in a automobile,” Stephanie Flores, Olivia’s mom, advised KTTC.

“How is any person with that a lot of a historical past with the identical points remains to be in a position to drive and be out on the roads and be any person who is meant to guard and serve. However you don’t. You took all your coaching and flipped it.”

Olivia’s household is asking for an open investigation “of the organizational failures that led” to Olivia’s loss of life, household lawyer Daniel McIntosh mentioned in a July information launch obtained by CNN affiliate WCCO.

“It’s heartbreaking and unacceptable to the Flores household that the State of Minnesota allowed Trooper Roper to be on the street in a Minnesota State Patrol squad automobile after understanding that he posed a transparent hazard to others,” the information launch mentioned.

CNN has reached out to the household’s lawyer however didn’t obtain a reply.

“The Flores household calls on the Commissioner of Public Security, Bob Jacobson, Minnesota State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic, and Governor Tim Walz to begin an open and impartial investigation of the organizational failures that led to Trooper Roper taking Olivia Flores’ life, and significantly injuring the opposite victims on this crash, to keep away from such a mindless and preventable tragedy sooner or later,” the discharge mentioned.

Walz advised KTTC in July the household “can relaxation assured they’ll get a full investigation into this totally tragic accident.”

“This one’s even onerous to have phrases for,” Walz mentioned. “There’s nothing we are able to say that’s going to ease that ache, however now we have to verify, if there are issues that may be carried out in another way needs to be carried out in another way, or weren’t carried out accurately; we have to know that.”

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