2nd Sister Charged in Southeast Minnesota Buggy Crash That Killed 2 Kids
Preston, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Fillmore County Attorney’s Office has filed felony charges against the other twin sister for her alleged involvement in a traffic fatality involving an Amish buggy last fall.
The September 26 collision along County Rd. 1 east of Stewartville resulted in the deaths of 7-year-old Wilma and 11-year-old Irma Miller.
The Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office initially announced 35-year-old Sarah Peterson was the driver of the SUV that struck the buggy, however further investigation concluded that Sarah’s twin Sister, 35-year-old Samantha Jo Peterson, was the actual driver, according to the criminal complaint.
Sarah and Samantha Jo are alleged to have deceived law enforcement by switching places at the scene in an effort to keep Samantha Jo out of prison, according to an audio recording and phone records obtained by the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office that is cited in the complaint.
Samantha Jo was charged Monday with eight counts of criminal vehicular homicide, eight felony counts of criminal vehicular operation, two gross misdemeanor counts of DWI and multiple misdemeanor traffic offenses, bringing the total charges against her to 21 counts.
The criminal complaint against Samantha Jo indicates a blood sample, obtained from her during the execution of a search warrant the day after the deadly crash, tested positive for methamphetamine, amphetamine, and Delta-9 THC.
Sarah is charged with four counts of criminal vehicular homicide- taking responsibility for a criminal act, four counts of aiding an offender in criminal vehicular homicide and eight counts of aiding an offender in criminal vehicular operation.
Court records indicate Sarah is on parole for a federal drug conviction from January of 2022.
Samantha Jo is set to make her first appearance in the case next month while Sarah is due for her first court appearance in April.
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