LANESBORO, Minn. — A Minnesota woman pleaded guilty this week to charges related to a fatal crash that killed two Amish children in 2023, though authorities say she was not the driver.
Sarah Beth Petersen, 35, admitted to two felony counts of criminal vehicular operation causing great bodily harm. Prosecutors say she helped cover for her twin sister, Samantha Jo Petersen, 35, who allegedly drove the SUV that struck a horse-drawn carriage carrying four children from the Miller family in September 2023.
Wilma Miller, 7, and Irma Miller, 11, were killed in the crash, while two of their siblings were injured but survived. The collision also killed one of the family’s horses. Authorities say the Petersen twins conspired to switch identities after the incident to shield Samantha Petersen from legal consequences.
Investigators determined that Sarah Petersen took responsibility for the crash initially, only to later admit her role in the attempted cover-up. Charges against Samantha Petersen remain pending.
A Minnesota woman pleaded guilty to helping her twin sister evade justice in a crash that left two Amish children dead.