You don't see this often in the courtrooms or hallways of the Lancaster County Courthouse, a place where people frequently lash out at each other in anger and in condemnation.

But today, family members of a 56-year-old Columbia man killed by a young woman in a 2006 car accident — a young woman who was driving without a license and knew she was drowsy from taking prescription drugs — said they forgave her.

What's more, Mark Howard's sister, Lois Shaw, asked Judge David Ashworth to spare Shaundra Yarnell from having to go to jail.

Then Shaw, 55, took a few steps across the courtroom and hugged Yarnell, 23, of Narvon. Both sobbed and leaned on each other.

And, after the court proceeding, Shaw, a teacher from Glen Burnie, Md., also hugged one of Yarnell's family members outside the courtroom and gave him advice on how to make sure Yarnell gets an education and good job in the future.

Ashworth did give Yarnell a jail sentence because he said he felt she needed to be held accountable for her actions leading up to Howard's death.

But he gave Yarnell, who could have gotten up to four years in state prison, a sentence of three months in county prison, to be followed by six months of house arrest, to be followed by 23 months of parole, to be followed by 10 years of probation.

He also gave her a long list of things she must do while in prison and on parole: continue undergoing drug and alcohol treatment, get a sponsor to help her with her recovery, keep a job or go to school, do 250 hours of community service and keep a journal of her recovery, which Howard's family can read if they choose.

"It's very rare," Ashworth told Yarnell, "that I have families and friends of victims come into the courtroom and not only acknowledge forgiveness but advocate on behalf of a defendant."

Afterward, Shaw said forgiving Yarnell was "a hard, hard process." But Howard's family, including his 94-year-old mother who lives in Lebanon, shared in the decision.

The family's faith helped them to make the decision, she said. They wanted something good to come from something tragic.

"My son started this for me," Shaw said. "He said, 'If people go to jail, they don't come out the same way.' "

"It's a responsibility we have, to forgive," she said. "Now she has the responsibility to do the best she can in life."

Yarnell drove head-on into Howard's car at about 4:40 p.m. Nov. 10, 2006, on North Reading Road in Adamstown, police said.

Afterward, Yarnell told police she was taking prescription medications, for treatment of mental health issues, and methadone, for treatment of a heroin addiction. On the day of the accident, she said she was "really tired" due to the medications and a head cold, and could hardly keep her eyes open.

Also, she was driving without her license, which had been suspended, medically recalled and expired two years before.

Alan Goldberg, Yarnell's attorney, said Yarnell was trying to get her life together at the time of the crash. Since then, she has maintained a job, working at a Dunkin Donuts, and is undergoing therapy and drug treatment.

Crying hard, Yarnell said, "I do take responsibility for that evening and I am very sorry. ... You know what? I made a mistake and that's it."

Shaw then rose and asked Ashworth to spare Yarnell from jail in the hopes she could become a "viable part of society."

Todd Brown, Assistant District Attorney, acknowledged that Yarnell is trying to right her life but he said she chose to drive when she was drowsy and when she did not have a license.

"She shouldn't have been behind the wheel," he said.

Ashworth agreed, saying, "This is a horrible tragedy, but it's a tragedy that could have been avoided."

He noted that he was giving Yarnell a light sentence but warned her that if she does not follow his directions about her subsequent treatment and conduct, she will go back to jail.

"You're on the right track. ... I want that to continue," he said.

CONTACT US: cstauffer@LNPnews.com or 481-6024