Sarah Beth Petersen Sentenced for Role in Fatal Buggy Crash Cover-Up

Sarah Beth Petersen sat quietly at the defense table in Fillmore County District Court on Monday afternoon, March 31, 2025,  dressed in a black suit and surrounded by a small group of supporters, including her twin sister, Samantha Petersen – the woman now charged with the deaths of two Amish children.

Judge Jeremy Clinefelter sentenced Petersen to 90 days in the Fillmore County Jail for aiding her sister in an attempted cover-up following a crash in September 2023 that killed two Amish siblings and seriously injured two others. She is to report to jail by April 25. After serving her time – 60 days with good behavior – she will be placed on electronic home monitoring for 120 days and ordered to pay a $1,500 fine, which she can work off through community service at $15 per hour.

The courtroom was subdued, marked by long silences and few visible reactions. On the right sat members of the press and the Miller family, whose 11-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son were killed when their buggy was rear-ended on County Road 1 near Sumner Center Church. Their 9-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter survived with serious injuries. On the left sat Sarah’s supporters, including friends, her therapist, and Samantha, who faces felony charges for driving under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the crash.

This case, complicated by the sisters’ identical appearances and a long history of entanglement with law enforcement, began with confusion and misdirection. When first responders arrived at the scene on the morning of September 25, 2023, it was Sarah who claimed to be the driver of the SUV. She told officers she had just returned from paying a bill in Rochester and didn’t see the buggy in time.

But suspicions quickly grew. According to the report, witnesses described two blonde women at the scene. One was flailing her arms and shouting on a phone. Squad car video later showed both sisters present, and Samantha had changed clothing between the time of the crash and the arrival of law enforcement. Cell phone data, 911 logs, and surveillance footage from Samantha’s workplace at Hy-Vee in Rochester painted a different picture – one in which Samantha clocked out at 7:47 a.m., left in the silver SUV by 8:02 a.m., and was at the crash site by 8:23 a.m.

The 911 call had come from Samantha’s phone. And in a recording taken from inside a squad car, Sarah was heard telling Samantha, “There’s no way they would ever know the difference between the two of us, so they can’t tell.”

Investigators later discovered text messages Samantha sent, confessing to hitting the buggy while high and admitting Sarah was taking the fall to keep her out of prison. Google searches on Samantha’s phone included: “What happens if you get in an accident with an Amish buggy and kill two people?” and “How to lock an iPhone cops have.” When deputies searched Sarah’s home the next day, she lied and said Samantha didn’t live there. They found her hiding inside.

Sarah was on parole at the time of the crash, having previously served federal prison time for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Prosecutors argued Monday that her criminal history and repeated willingness to mislead law enforcement showed a dangerous pattern. They asked for six months in jail and a $7,000 fine.

Sarah’s defense team pushed back, calling her therapist to testify. The therapist said Sarah had been sober for nearly four years and was actively engaged in therapy, parenting her children, and working to rebuild her life. The defense emphasized Sarah’s remorse, her full acceptance of responsibility, and the emotional bond between the sisters. While Sarah did not explain her motivations in court, previous records suggest her loyalty may have been shaped by Samantha helping care for her children while she was incarcerated.

When it came time to speak, Sarah turned toward the Miller family and read from a written statement. Her voice trembled as she apologized. “I am so sorry for the pain I’ve caused your family,” she said.

The victim impact statement, read aloud by a victim support advocate, reflected the Miller family’s deep grief and commitment to their faith. “We are required by God to forgive,” the statement read. “But it is hard to understand how Sarah Beth could continue to lie, even the next day after she had time to correct her actions.”

During sentencing, Judge Clinefelter acknowledged Sarah’s efforts toward sobriety and rehabilitation but emphasized the seriousness of her actions. At one point, he referenced a striking moment from the case: Sarah’s own child, he said, had confided in a teacher, expressing concern that her mother was taking the blame for her aunt. “Even your child knew it was wrong,” Clinefelter said from the bench. “And still, you chose to go forward with the lie.” He called the decision calculated and prolonged, adding that it caused further harm to an already grieving family.

Sarah was not taken into custody at the hearing but was ordered to report to jail later this month. The courtroom remained quiet as the hearing ended. The Miller family left through a side door without a word. 

The criminal case against Samantha Petersen is still pending. She is scheduled to appear in court for a plea hearing on June 9, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., followed by a pre-trial hearing on June 10 at 8:30 a.m., and a jury trial set for July 14, 2025, at 9 a.m. in Fillmore County District Court.