Collision that killed kids in Amish buggy leaves question: Which twin was driving SUV?

Law enforcement says it has "true and accurate" evidence that a woman lied when she told a southern Minnesota sheriff's deputy that she — not her twin sister — was driving the SUV that hit an Amish family's buggy last month and killed two of four children in the horse-drawn vehicle.

Suspicions that the 35-year-old identical twins plotted to conceal the real identity of who caused the Sept. 25 crash southeast of Stewartville are outlined in search warrant affidavits filed last week. A Fillmore County sheriff's investigator won a judge's permission to collect physical evidence toward determining who was driving.

Sheriff John DeGeorge declined Wednesday to discuss the investigation or the court filings other than to say, "I can confirm that everything contained in those affidavits is true and accurate."

The crash involving the Miller family's buggy occurred shortly before 8:30 a.m. on southbound County Road 1, DeGeorge said. Killed were Wilma, 7, and Irma, 11. Hospitalized in Rochester for treatment were Allan, 9, and Rose, 13. The four children were riding to school at the time of the crash, with Rose holding the reins, a family friend said.

One day after the collision, the sheriff's office issued a news release saying that Sarah Beth Petersen of nearby Spring Valley struck the buggy from behind.

But within days, the affidavits reveal, law enforcement began suspecting that Petersen was not the driver, but that it was her sister, Samantha Jo Petersen, based on the women's conversations, investigator interviews, a change of clothing, and incriminating text messages.

Also as part of the investigation, law enforcement collected fingerprint and other forensic evidence from throughout the SUV's interior.

"We are waiting for more information to return to us," the sheriff said. "Once that's done, we will send our case for review to the County Attorney's Office for charges."

Samantha Jo Petersen, asked Wednesday by the Star Tribune whether she was the driver who hit the buggy, replied, "No. That's what they allegedly think. ... I'm going to get ahold of a lawyer."

Sarah Beth Petersen did not respond to requests for comment.

According to the affidavits:

Calls to 911 sent a sheriff's deputy to the scene, where he saw a silver 2005 Toyota 4Runner with front-end damage on the shoulder of southbound County Road 1.

The deputy also saw the 9-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister on the road with injuries, and their 7- and 11-year-old sisters dead in the ditch. The sheriff said the horse did not survive the crash.

A woman's 911 call after the collision connected with Olmsted County emergency dispatch, 22 miles north of the crash scene, and she reported being the SUV driver who hit the buggy. The call was then routed to emergency dispatch in Fillmore County. The caller said she came over a hill and struck the buggy.

Both twins were at the scene when the deputy arrived. Sarah Petersen told him she was driving the SUV, which is registered to her twin. Parked close by was a black 2002 Toyota 4Runner, which was also registered to Samantha Petersen. That same vehicleshowed up about 7:40 a.m. in Rochester, where Sarah Petersen's children were dropped off for school, according the school's video surveillance.

While Sarah Petersen was left alone in a squad car, Samantha Petersen walked over and the two spoke.

"Audio of this exchange was reviewed ... and it was revealed that Samantha and Sarah discussed the fact that the officers can't tell them apart," one of the affidavits read. "This led to suspicions about the true identity of the driver of the vehicle."

The sheriff's news release the day after the crash identified Sarah Petersen as the driver.

Samantha Petersen left work at Hy-Vee in Rochester shortly before 8 a.m. on the day of the crash and was seen getting in the silver SUV and leaving. Internet mapping measures the southbound route to the crash scene as roughly a 24-minute drive. The crash occurred at 8:25 a.m.

Hy-Vee staff told law enforcement that Samantha Petersen admitted in a work messaging platform that she had used methamphetamine and was high at the time of the collision.

"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," an affidavit read.

Surveillance video also captured Samantha Petersen at some point appearing to change her shirt.

In summary, one affidavit concluded, "As a result of evidence located through statements and footage, it became apparent that Samantha Petersen was the likely driver of the striking vehicle."

Court records show Sarah Petersen was convicted in 2017 for giving her twin's name to a Fillmore County sheriff's deputy who pulled her over for driving erratically. The deputy was told soon after the stop by a fellow deputy that Sarah Petersen "has given Samantha's name in past interactions with law enforcement."

The family of Menno and Sara Miller live east of Stewartville, about 12 miles south of Rochester, where they continue to raise their six surviving children, ages 16 to a son born late last summer. The father helps train draft horses for the Bar M ranch near Windom in southwestern Minnesota.

Jamie Meyeraan, who helps run the ranch and whose family has been close to the Millers for many years, said "it's really awesome people are being so generous" with their more than $88,000 in donations to an online campaign on behalf of a family that abides by its faith and does not have insurance.

"Every time I saw [the Miller children]," she said, "I saw nothing but smiles."