Family of teen killed in state trooper crash retains law firm; begins own investigation

By KAALTV

Credit: GoFundMe - Remembering Olivia: Help the Flores Family

(ABC 6 News) – The family of Olivia Flores, the Owatonna teenager killed in a car crash involving a Minnesota State Trooper, retained a law firm to conduct their own investigation, according to Restovich Braun & Associates.

Dan McIntosh, an attorney with the Rochester firm, was placed in charge of media inquiries, according to the firm.

“The Flores family has been given no information from the police department on the progress or status of the investigation, so we do not yet know all the elements of their investigation,” McIntosh said in an email. “We expect that their investigation has been thorough and professional, but we just don’t have the information at this time. In the meantime, we are collecting all the information we can through the legal means available to us, including retaining experts to conduct analysis of the scene of the collision. We certainly hope to work in conjunction with law enforcement and the County Attorney’s Office and I reached out earlier this week to begin that process. We expect that there will be a review for criminal charges, but the Flores family may also have civil claims related to Olivia’s death and we are ensuring their rights to pursue those are protected.”

The Minnesota State Patrol confirmed recently that state trooper Shane Roper was placed on paid administrative leave following the deadly crash.

Rochester police have declined to comment on the case in the past month, or discuss whether or not alcohol/other substances are being considered as possible factors in the crash.

A GoFundMe is raising money for Angelina and Katarina Bartz, the other two young women involved in the crash.

According to the fundraiser, the two suffered broken ribs and other bones, as well as other severe injuries.