By Zech Sindt
The district court in Preston has issued a ruling in a tragic case that has gripped the community, partially granting the defense’s motions while paving the way for a settlement conference and possible trial. The case involves Samantha Jo Petersen, who faces 21 charges stemming from a September 2023 crash that killed two children and injured two others when her SUV struck an Amish horse-drawn buggy with four children in it.
The omnibus hearing, held on September 30, addressed numerous motions filed by Samantha’s defense team, including requests to dismiss several charges for lack of probable cause and to suppress key evidence. Among the 21 counts were allegations of criminal vehicular homicide, driving while impaired, and leaving the scene of an accident. Samantha has entered a provisional not-guilty plea to all charges.
On December 11, the court dismissed four of the charges—counts 2, 6, 10, and 14—which involved allegations of negligence while under the influence of a combination of methamphetamine and THC. The judge determined there was not enough evidence to show that Samantha was under the influence of both substances at the time of the crash. Toxicology reports showed the presence of both methamphetamine and THC in Samantha’s system. However, the court ruled that these reports alone did not conclusively prove impairment from THC during the crash.
However, the judge denied motions to dismiss the remaining charges or suppress the rest of the evidence, allowing the rest of the prosecution’s case to move forward. This evidence includes a recorded statement Samantha made at the scene, and results from a toxicology analysis of her blood sample, both of which the defense had tried to get tossed.
The accident and resulting injuries and deaths occurred on the morning of September 25, 2023, North of Spring Valley on County Road 1. According to the original complaint, Samantha’s SUV collided with the buggy, which was carrying four Amish children. Two of the children died at the scene, while the other two suffered serious injuries. Evidence presented by the prosecution included a crash reconstruction report. This report alleged that Samantha was traveling between 63 and 71 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone. Investigators concluded that she had between 13 and 15 seconds to react to the buggy before the collision.
To further complicate the matter, the prosecutor alleges that evidence shows Samantha attempted to mislead investigators. The original complaint says Samantha called her twin sister, Sarah Petersen, after the crash, and asked her to come to the scene to falsely claim she was the driver. Sarah initially told Fillmore County Deputy Donald Kullot that she was the person driving the car involved in the crash. However, investigators later uncovered evidence, including recorded statements and testimony from witnesses, alleging Samantha was the real driver.
At the scene, Kullot observed several inconsistencies, including the fact that Sarah went to a vehicle not involved in the crash to retrieve her driver’s license, and he inadvertently recorded a conversation between the twin sisters while Sarah was sitting in the car. In the recording, Samantha allegedly admitted to Sarah that the officers were “on to me” and discussed their physical similarity, which she believed could help obscure her identity as the driver.
Adding to the prosecution’s case, Samantha allegedly admitted to the crash, and to being high on meth, during a phone call with her employer at Hy-Vee. According to court documents, she called her human resources manager shortly after the crash and said, “I messed up. I just killed two Amish kids. I’m not sober.” She later admitted to being high on methamphetamine at the time. Toxicology tests confirmed the presence of methamphetamine and THC in her system.
Despite these admissions, Samantha’s defense has mounted a challenge to the evidence, particularly the toxicology findings and the search warrants that led to the seizure of her blood sample. The defense argued that the search warrant for her blood was overly broad and lacked probable cause. However, the court ruled that the warrant met legal standards, emphasizing that investigators needed to preserve evidence of potential impairment in a timely manner.
The court also rejected the defense’s argument that Samantha had a reasonable expectation of privacy during her conversation with her sister at the squad car. Drawing on legal precedents, the judge determined that individuals do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in or around police vehicles.
This case has drawn widespread attention, not only for the tragic loss of life but also for the complexities surrounding Samantha’s alleged actions and efforts to evade responsibility. The ruling clears the way for a settlement conference, though a trial remains a possibility if no agreement is reached. Samantha faces significant legal jeopardy on the remaining charges, including multiple counts of criminal vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle while impaired.
The dates for a settlement hearing and trial have not been set, but the Fillmore County Journal will continue to follow the proceedings closely as they unfold.
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