Woman, Who Convinced Her Twin Sister to Take the Blame for Deadly Amish Buggy Crash, Is Sentenced By Toria Sheffield

A Minnesota woman who convinced her twin sister to take the blame for a deadly crash involving an Amish buggy has been sentenced.

Samantha Peterson was sentenced to four years in prison on Thursday, Oct. 16, according to KARE 11, NBC News and CBS News.

The 37-year-old woman was driving under the influence of methamphetamine near the town of Spring Valley on Sept. 25, 2023, when she crashed into a buggy with four people, the outlets reported.

The crash claimed the lives of two Amish children, 7-year-old Wilma Miller and 11-year-old Irma Miller.

Samantha then called her twin sister, Sarah Peterson, to the scene and convinced her sibling to tell authorities that she had been the one driving the vehicle during the incident.

Police quickly realized, however, there were inconsistencies in the siblings’ story, and authorities ascertained that Samantha was the person driving at the time of the incident.

Samantha ultimately pleaded guilty to both criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation in July, KARE 11 reported.

In a statement to the court on the day of her sentencing, which was filmed by Court TV, Samantha said she wished “with everything in me that I could go back and change what happened.”

She continued, “My addiction took a lot from me, but it took the world from you [the victims’ family], and for that, I will never be able to forgive myself.”

Samantha additionally admitted to, and apologized for, attempting to deceive law enforcement by having her sister take the blame for her actions.

“In fear and shame, I made terrible decisions to deceive the police and the justice system. I know my actions disrespected the officers who were simply doing their job and the court that seeks truth and justice. I am deeply sorry for that. I have learned truth and honesty must guide my life moving forward, regardless of how hard and difficult the truth may be,” she said.

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Court documents said investigators searched Samantha’s phone after the incident and found a text message sent on the day of the crash that read, “I hit that Amish buggy and killed two ppl […] … Made Sarah come there and take the fall for it so I wouldn’t go to prison,” per CBS News.

The woman’s Google search history also revealed that she had looked up, “What happens if you get in an accident with an Amish buggy and kill two people,” and, “If you hit a buggy and kill two people are you going to prison?” the outlet reported.

Sarah, meanwhile, was sentenced to three months in jail and four years of probation in March for her involvement in the incident, according to KARE 11.