Buggy Crash Twin Sentenced: 3 Months In Jail For Identity-Swapping Scheme
In February, we got news that Sarah Beth Petersen had pled guilty.
She had been accused of trying to take the fall for her twin sister Samantha Petersen. Authorities allege Samantha was the one actually driving in an accident which claimed two Amish children’s lives in 2023.
Sarah Beth Petersen received her sentence Monday. From the Minnesota Star-Tribune:
A 37-year-old woman was sentenced to three months in jail Monday for her role in an identity-swapping scheme with her twin sister to deceive law enforcement about who was actually driving an SUV that hit an Amish buggy in southeastern Minnesota, killing two of the four children aboard.
Along with the jail time, Sarah Beth Petersen of Kellogg, Minn., was put on supervised probation for four years. She pleaded guilty in Fillmore County District Court to two counts of criminal vehicular operation stemming from the crash shortly before 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 25, 2023, along southbound County Road 1.
Of the 90 days, it sounds like only part of that will be served behind bars:
For Sarah Peterson [sic], state guidelines called for a sentence of 19½ months, with two-thirds of that time in prison. However, the defense and the prosecution agreed to a downward departure and a maximum six-month jail sentence.
While the prosecution argued for the agreed-upon maximum, Judge Jeremy Clinefelter gave Sarah Petersen a 90-day term, with 60 of those served in jail and the balance on supervised release. She’s also eligible for work release.
Sarah Beth Petersen Apologizes
When a news station interviewed Menno Miller, father of the girls killed in the accident, he expressed his desire for an apology. Sarah Petersen has now offered that apology publicly:
Defense attorney Daniel McIntosh said his client read a statement in court during sentencing that expressed her “apologies and condolences” to the Millers, who were present in the courtroom.
“She still has such a heavy heart for the Millers’ loss,” McIntosh said.
Another source (Court TV) offers this quote:
“I deeply regret the pain my actions caused the Miller family and the entire Amish community,” She said through tears. “No words I say can possibly make their hearts hurt any less.” She confirmed that she lied in an effort to protect her sister: “My first instinct was to try to shield her from any harm.”
Also:
“I am truly, deeply sorry to the Millers,” Petersen said. “My actions caused further pain to the family who was already heartbroken.”
The Miller family had a prepared statement read at the sentencing:
A victim services advocate read a statement from the parents of the children who died. Their letter said it hurt them to see “how lightly” Petersen took the incident.
“We’ve been given a life sentence, and our lives will never be the same,” the letter read.
At the time of his 2023 interview, Menno said an apology would “…go a long ways…Yes it would.”
I hope at least hearing an apology in court yesterday, however belated, gave some sort of comfort to this family.
Samantha Petersen is scheduled to go to trial in July.
Peterson case
It is really disheartening to see such a light sentence in the Prtetson case where the lives of two children were lost. The sentence was much too light.
Told you this would happen.
Another slap on the wrist which is why so many are repeat offenders. She got away with it.
And when it takes that long to apologize and do so only in the court room by reading a prepared statement which was most likely written, in part, by her attorneys/others, then it is not a sincere apology.
Remember, apologies are often delayed and at the end of the court case because the defendant does not want to say anything that could incriminate themselves. More proof they are not sincere.
She got away with it.
Crash Twin Sentenced . . .
Forgive me, I may be somewhat biased in this case because MN is my home state . . . But that so-called “apology” seemed like it was written by someone else. I feel that Sarah Jo Petersen pled guilty only to avoid a longer sentence had she gone to trial & lost. And I believe her tears were for herself: she got caught and is in mourning over the loss of her freedom. When are people going to understand that they MUST slow down on America’s roads whenever there are slower moving vehicles about?? Also, when will people realize that drinking & driving DO NOT mix?? I’m sorry, but a mere 90 days is not enough in this case. These two sisters have been in trouble before & are no strangers to law enforcement/the courts. I’m extremely disappointed with the judge. Thanks for letting me have my say.
Twin Sentenced
Sorry . . . Sarah Beth Petersen.
Not an apology
She isn’t repentant. Her apology is one that a lawyer wrote up. $5 days per child…you could get more if you robbed a bank. When she gets out, she’ll go right back to her meth addiction, and the judge will still sleep soundly after she ruins another family.