A Marana man was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday for killing a 47-year-old bicyclist on the Northwest Side in August 2005.
According to court documents, Mark William Haffner was driving west on West Ruthrauff Road west of North La Cholla Boulevard when he rear-ended Laura Diane Varela, and then fled.
Haffner turned himself in two days later, admitting that he'd taken "two puffs" of methamphetamine shortly before the incident, and he knew he'd struck someone.
Tests showed Haffner, 45, had methamphetamine in his system, as did the victim.
While police testified Varela was struck while riding in the bike lane, defense attorneys argued that Varela was impaired and riding in the street.
Haffner was convicted of manslaughter, leaving the scene after causing a fatal accident, possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor driving under the influence charges.
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Prosecutor Kristen Kelly asked Pima County Superior Court Judge Hector Campoy to sentence Haffner to 7.5 years in prison.
He had previous DUI convictions, and drug tests prove he has continued to use methamphetamine since Varela's death, Kelly said.
And, instead of calling 911 after the crash, Haffner called a friend and went over to that friend's house, Kelly said. Once there, Haffner glued his reflector lights back together and watched his friend pull Varela's hair out of his windshield.
Defense attorney Geri Hale asked Campoy to give Haffner probation and some jail time.
Haffner is remorseful and aside from the two DUI incidents, is a law-abiding citizen, Hale said.
Campoy opted to give Haffner some prison time, plus four years of intensive probation afterward. The judge noted that Haffner used drugs after his arrest and tried to manipulate the court's drug analysis testing system.
Once he is released from prison, Haffner's driver's license will be revoked for five years.
