SE MN Woman Charged With Deadly Buggy Crash Released Without Bail

Preston, MN (KROC-AM News) - The woman accused of driving while impaired and crashing into an Amish buggy filled with children near Stewartville last fall was formally arraigned this morning in Fillmore County Court on more than 20 criminal charges.

The tragic case attracted national notoriety when prosecutors charged her twin sister with conspiring with 36-year-old Samantha Jo Petersen to deceive investigators into believing that Sarah Petersen was the driver. Samantha Petersen was released without bail after today's brief court proceeding. Her attorney requested an omnibus hearing before entering a plea to the charges that will take place in June.

READ MORE: Deadly Fillmore County Amish Buggy Crash – Charges Filed

Petersen faces eight charges of criminal vehicular homicide, eight charges of criminal vehicular operation, along with gross misdemeanor DWI charges and several other related traffic offenses. The criminal complaint says a blood sample obtained from Peterson the day after the deadly crash tested positive for methamphetamine, amphetamine, and Delta-9 THC.

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The court document says she was behind the wheel of an SUV that collided with the Amish buggy while the occupants were headed to their school near Stewartville. The crash in Fillmore County Road that left 7-year-old Wilma and 11-year-old Irma Miller fatally injured. Two of their other siblings suffered serious injuries in the collision.

Sarah Petersen faces a total of 16 felony counts of aiding and abetting criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation. She is scheduled to make her first court appearance on the charges Thursday morning.

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