Fillmore County Authorities Suspect Different Driver in Deadly Buggy Crash

Preston, MN (KROC-AM News)- Authorities in Fillmore County believe the person originally listed as the driver of a vehicle that fatally struck an Amish buggy near Stewartville last month was not the actual driver. 

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The deadly collision happened around 8:30 a.m. on September 25 on Fillmore County Rd. 1 about five miles south of Stewartville. 7-year-old Wilma Miller and 11-year-old Irma Miller were both fatally injured in the crash while 9-year-old Alan Miller and 13-year-old Rose Miller were transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. 

The preliminary report issued by the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office after the crash identified the driver of an SUV that struck the buggy as 35-year-old Sarah Peterson of Spring Valley. 

A court filing obtained by the Star Tribune indicates investigators now suspect that Sarah’s twin sister Samantha was the actual driver of the SUV. The court document includes a message Samantha allegedly sent to a co-worker in which she said she killed two Amish people and admitted to being high on meth while driving, according to the report. 

"The messages also indicate that [Samantha Petersen] was the driver and [were] sent during a time at which Sarah was not in possession of her cellphone and was otherwise occupied on scene with law enforcement officers," according to the affidavit. 

Investigators suspect that Samantha’s twin sister Sarah then arrived at the scene and told law enforcement she was driving the SUV, the report says. So far no charges have been filed in connection to the deadly incident.