PRESTON, Minn. – One of the twin sisters accused in a deadly 2023 crash into an Amish buggy is too ill with an eye issue to make a hearing scheduled for Monday. The attorney for Samantha Petersen, Carson Heefner, asked for an extension. Heefner said Petersen is facing surgery and probably will need until mid-summer to recover. Heefner said he too has health issues that preclude the Monday plea hearing. Responding to the request, Fillmore County Judge Jeremy Clinefelter reset the hearing to July 11 over objections from prosecutor Brett Corson. Corson cast doubt on the veracity of Petersen’s eye surgery claim. “This is believed to be routine surgery with a short recovery period,” Cordon told the judge. “Past cases have shown that the defendant may not always give accurate information.” He pointed to “deception and trickery” dating to the 2023 accident scene itself. The case against Petersen is that she and her identical twin Sarah colluded to claim that it was Sarah, not Samantha, who was driving, in order to protect Samantha, who was high on meth. Sarah already has been sentenced for her role and is in jail.
Earlier: First twin in fatal 2023 Amish wreck to jail