Shaunda Yarnell was driving without a valid license and later told police she was "really tired" from controlled-substance withdrawal and lack of sleep when she caused a two-car wreck that killed a Columbia man in 2006.

Monday, the family of 57-year-old victim Mark Howard asked a Lancaster County judge to spare Yarnell, 23, from prison.

Yarnell, who pleaded guilty Monday to two felonies — including homicide by vehicle — faced up to 14 years' incarceration.

After Howard's sister, Lois Shaw, spoke on behalf of her family, Judge David L. Ashworth sentenced Yarnell to 3 months in prison.

Upon release, Yarnell will be under house arrest for 6 months, followed by 10 years' probation, the judge ordered.

Yarnell dozed off at the wheel of her Acura TSX and struck Howard's Ford Escort head-on Nov. 10, 2006, in Adamstown.

Yarnell, overcome with emotion Monday, could hardly voice her apology to Howard's family.

"I can't say anything else but I'm sorry. I made a mistake and that's it," she said.

Shaw followed with a plea to the judge for mercy.

"We would like to ask you for no jail time," Shaw said.

After the brief statement, Shaw and Yarnell embraced one another.

"It's OK. There is a reason for it all," Shaw told Yarnell.

Both families cried in the courtroom gallery.

Ashworth said honoring the request for no prison time would be "inappropriate." He commended the victim's family for making the plea.

"It's very rare that I have friends and family of victims come in this courtroom … and advocate on behalf of the defendant," he said. "This was truly remarkable for them to come forward the way they have."

Ashworth said Yarnell was deserving of some prison time because she knew she was too tired to drive and because her license had been suspended since 2002.

"There are reasons why licenses are suspended or revoked," Ashworth told Yarnell. "A man's life was taken. That can't be ignored."

Assistant District Attorney Todd E. Brown argued that Yarnell should have considered the risks before driving that evening.

"She shouldn't have been behind the wheel," Brown told the judge.

Ashworth said Howard's family's request weighed into his sentence, as did Yarnell's attempts to beat a heroin addiction prior to the crash.

Defense attorney Alan Goldberg stressed that point during Monday's hearing.

"In all the years I've been a defense attorney, never once have I seen a more tragic case," Goldberg told the judge. "This is a case of a young woman who was trying to get her life in order. She was intending to do all the right things, and this tragedy occurred.

"I ask you to permit her to continue on the path she was going," Goldberg pleaded.

Ashworth allowed the request.

He ordered Yarnell immediately eligible for work release — allowing her to keep her job at Dunkin' Donuts. The judge also allowed Yarnell to keep her drug-counseling appointments while in prison and under house arrest.

Ashworth ordered Yarnell to complete 250 hours of community service and attend mandatory drug-counseling sessions upon her release.

He also ordered Yarnell to keep a journal, outlining her steps toward recovery. Howard's family would be allowed to read the journal, the judge ordered.

E-mail: bhambright@lnpnews.com