Owatonna High School cheerleader killed, six injured in multi-vehicle crash

ROCHESTER, Minn. – Rochester police are investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash that left a high school student dead and six other people, including a state trooper, injured.

Early Saturday evening, Rochester police were dispatched to a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Memorial Parkway Southwest and 12th Street Southwest, north of Apache Mall.

According to a preliminary investigation by the Rochester Police Department, a State Patrol trooper was traveling eastbound on 12 Street Southwest and a Ford Focus was traveling westbound on 12th Street Southwest and turned south into Apache Mall. The vehicles collided and the Ford Focus was pushed into a Toyota RAV4 as it exited Apache Mall, police said. The Toyota RAV4 landed in the ditch.

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Olivia Flores, an 18-year-old Owatonna High School cheerleader, was among three young women from Owatonna in one of the vehicles. According to police, Flores died of her injuries on Sunday. The other two passengers, aged 21 and 19, were taken to hospital. 32-year-old police officer Shane Roper was sitting in his patrol car with a 20-year-old passenger. Both were injured and their health status is also unknown. In the third vehicle was a 36-year-old woman and a 12-year-old passenger, also from Owatonna. Both suffered minor injuries.

Owatonna School Superintendent Jeff Elstad released the following statement Monday morning:

“Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Olivia Flores, a senior at Owatonna High School. There is a wealth of support available to our students at Owatonna High School following this tragedy. Additional counselors and staff will be at the school throughout the week. Students are encouraged to contact OHS staff if they require assistance. If families have concerns about their child, they should also contact staff.

Mariah Cuellar was co-captain of the cheerleading team with Flores. They had been friends since third grade.

“She was always a really trustworthy person. Whenever something happened in my life and I wanted to talk about it, even if it had nothing to do with cheering, she was always there and gave great advice,” Cuellar said.

Flores was also active in youth work, attending summer camps and participating in their mentorship program.

“She really just radiated joy. You can see this in their smiles in pictures and videos. She’s really a happy child,” said Lindsay Thompson, Steele County Young Life director.

Her longtime cheerleading coach Jenna Compton said Flores plans to take a year off and help train younger cheerleaders.

“There are days when it’s stressful and life is hard, and when you come in and you know she’s going to be there, she hugged everyone and just had an encouraging, positive attitude and was always cheering everyone else on,” Compton said .

The cheering team gathers around themselves and their families in a time of great loss.

“We have graduation in three weeks and she won’t be there, so that’s going to be really difficult,” Cuellar said.

The investigation is ongoing.