Latest news with #StatePatrol
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
State Patrol: Alcohol suspected in crash that seriously injured motorcyclist Thursday night
May 30—SPRING VALLEY, Minn. — Alcohol was suspected in a crash that seriously injured a motorcyclist Thursday night, May 29, 2025, in Spring Valley. A 2014 Chevy Impala and 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle were traveling south on Highway 63 when one rear-ended the other at the intersection with North Park Drive around 11:53 p.m., according to a Minnesota State Patrol crash report. It was unclear in the report which vehicle rear-ended which. A request for clarification was sent to the State Patrol Friday morning. The driver of the motorcycle, Taylor Anthony Roe, 27, of Spring Valley, was transported to Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys with life-threatening injuries. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the report. The driver of the Impala, Alexander William Kimelman, 26, of Rochester, was not injured. The Minnesota State Patrol report said both drivers may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. The Fillmore County Sheriff's Office, Spring Valley Fire Department and Spring Valley Ambulance also responded to the scene.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
No resolution reached yet in criminal case against ex-state trooper Shane Roper
May 29—ROCHESTER — A resolution has not been met in the criminal case against Shane Roper, the ex-Minnesota State Patrol trooper involved in a fatal crash in May 2024. Roper appeared virtually in court on Thursday, May 29, for another hearing. He is facing nine criminal charges in Olmsted County District Court, including felony counts of second-degree manslaughter, criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation, for his involvement in a fatal crash that killed 18-year-old Olivia Flores. The crash happened around 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the intersection of Memorial Parkway and 12th Street Southwest, near Apache Mall. Flores sat in the back seat of her friend's Ford Focus when the car was struck by a Minnesota State Patrol squad car, driven by Roper. During Thursday's hearing, District Judge Lisa Hayne said she would like to hear arguments on the change of venue motion "sooner rather than later." The next hearing, a settlement conference, was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Aug. 20. If the case is not resolved by then, Hayne said, both parties will present their arguments. In previous court documents, the defense submitted a change of venue motion due to the case's publicity. If granted, the jury trial would move to a different county whose residents would be impaneled as jurors. The court is looking at dates in early 2026 for a possible jury trial. Recap of the criminal complaint According to the criminal complaint, Roper quickly approached the intersection of Apache Drive Southwest, an area where the primary entry points to the Apache Mall are located. This area tends to have "very active traffic ... on a typical Saturday." When Roper's car was 400 feet from the intersection, the squad camera showed a green traffic signal for eastbound traffic. A larger SUV also traveling east entered the left turn lane to go onto Memorial Parkway Southwest, obstructing the view for vehicles turning onto Apache Drive Southwest, the complaint said. A Ford Focus with three passengers was in that turn lane and attempted to drive through the intersection. "Due to Roper's excessive speed (traveling 83 miles per hour and at full throttle up until 1.4 seconds before impact), when the Ford Focus started through the intersection, Roper was unable to sufficiently brake or maneuver his squad car to avoid the collision," the complaint says. Roper's squad car hit the passenger side of the Ford Focus, the vehicle Flores was in, while traveling at least 55 mph. The impact sent both cars east through the intersection to collide with a Toyota Rav4. There were two people in the Toyota. Witnesses told police that the oncoming vehicle was "flying." Witnesses did not see or hear emergency lights or a siren. According to the complaint, the Ford Focus driver sustained a liver laceration, a bruised kidney and numerous additional minor injuries. The front passenger sustained a broken pelvis, lacerated kidney and other minor injuries. The passengers of the Toyota Rav4 sustained physical pain from the collision. In the squad car, Roper had a ride-along passenger who sustained rib bruising and multiple fractures from the crash. Roper was also injured. Weeks after the incident, Roper confirmed to law enforcement that he was attempting to "close the gap" between his squad car and a vehicle suspected of being in violation of a traffic code, the Post Bulletin previously reported. Roper said it was not an active pursuit and that he was not paying attention to his speed, according to the criminal complaint. He told police he did believe his lights were activated.
CBS News
4 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Former Minnesota state trooper pleads not guilty in crash that killed Owatonna teen
A former Minnesota state trooper has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a crash that killed a teenage girl and injured five others. Prosecutors said Shane Roper was speeding in his Minnesota State Patrol squad car, lights inactive, when he hit a Ford Focus in an intersection in Rochester, Minnesota, on May 18, 2024. A third vehicle was also struck. Roper is charged with five counts of criminal vehicular operation and one count each of second-degree manslaughter, criminal vehicular homicide, reckless driving and careless driving. He entered not guilty pleas for all charges on Thursday. The crash killed 18-year-old Olivia Flores of Owatonna and hurt several others, including a "ride-along" in Roper's vehicle. He said he was trying to "close the gap" between himself and a driver he suspected of a traffic violation, according to court documents, and he was not aware of his speed. The state patrol initially placed Roper on administrative leave, then months later said there was "simply no justification" for his actions and fired him. State patrol documents showed four prior crashes on Roper's driving record due to "inattentive driving or excessive speed." After the crash, attorneys for Flores' family released a statement, saying in part, "It is heartbreaking and unacceptable to the Flores family that the State of Minnesota allowed Trooper Roper to be on the road in a Minnesota State Patrol squad car after knowing that he posed a clear danger to others." Note: The video above originally aired Sept. 11, 2024.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Two treated for injuries after three-vehicle crash in New London, Minnesota
May 28---- Two people were treated at CentraCare — Rice Memorial Hospital in on Tuesday afternoon after both suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a three-vehicle crash. According to the two vehicles traveling in opposite directions on Minnesota Highway 23 and one vehicle southbound on Minnesota Highway 9 collided at the New London intersection. David Peterson, 67, was driving westbound on Highway 23 in a 2024 GMC Sierra pickup truck with passenger Ann Peterson, 61, both from Brookings, Both suffered non-life threatening injuries. They were wearing their seat belts and the airbags in their vehicle deployed. A Ford Expedition SUV driven by Kerri Hendrickson, 49, of was eastbound on Highway 23. Sigurd Holme, 60, of was driving an F-350 Ford pickup truck southbound on Highway 9. Hendrickson and Holme were uninjured in the collision, according to the State Patrol. Both were wearing their seat belts, and the airbags in Hendrickson's vehicle deployed. Road conditions were dry at the time of the crash around 2:40 p.m. Tuesday. Alcohol was not involved, according to the report. The Minnesota State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad, New London Fire Department and New London Ambulance.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Three injured in two-vehicle crash north of Willmar, Minnesota
May 21---- Three people suffered injuries in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday morning north of Willmar. According to a from the a Chevrolet Impala was driving southbound on U.S. Highway 71 as a 2020 Subaru Ascent was driving eastbound on 60th Avenue Northeast. The vehicles collided at the intersection. The driver of the Subaru is identified as Kaitlyn Renae Rice, 30, of Willmar. She and her 8-year-old passenger, Keeva Rice, of Willmar, each suffered injuries described as non-life-threatening. They were transported to CentraCare — Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar for treatment. The driver of the Chevrolet is identified as Daniel Jacob Thyen, 40, of According to the State Patrol, Thyen suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was also transported to Rice Memorial Hospital. The airbags in both vehicles deployed, according to the State Patrol, and all were wearing their seat belts. Alcohol was not involved. Road conditions were wet at the time of the crash reported around 6:56 a.m. Wednesday. The Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad, and New London and CentraCare ambulances all assisted at the scene.
