Former State Trooper Seeks Change of Venue For Fatal Crash Trial

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The former State Trooper charged with the death of an Owatonna High School student in a crash in Rochester earlier this year wants his trial moved away from Olmsted County.

Motions filed in court by the attorney representing 32-year-old Shane Roper argue that the "excessive amount of pretrial publicity surrounding the case" has tainted the pool of potential jurors and would prevent a fair trial in Olmsted County.

The charges against the Hayfield man allege he was speeding at more than 80 mph in his State Patrol squad car without the emergency lights activated when he collided with another vehicle at the entrance to Apache Mall in southwest Rochester. 18-year-old Olivia Flores, who was set to graduate from high school just weeks before her death, was a passenger in that vehicle.

The motions also call on the court to dismiss all but one of the charges brought against Roper in connection with the death of Flores. He is facing a charge of second-degree manslaughter, criminal vehicular homicide, five counts of felony criminal vehicular operation, and a gross misdemeanor count of reckless driving. The only charge not challenged in the motion is the reckless driving charge.

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The court filing contends the prosecution has failed to provide sufficient probable cause to sustain the charges. Specifically, it states prosecutors have not met the "burden of offering direct evidence tending to demonstrate that the defendant's actions, or negligence, were the proximate cause of death or bodily harm."

The motions also seek to suppress some of the evidence in the case, including Roper's prior history of speeding and crashes.

A hearing to argue the defense motions has yet to be scheduled.

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