2 Get 264-Day Terms for La Habra Death : Court: The women are set free because they had been jailed since September. Widower calls sentences for parking lot altercation lenient.

A Whittier woman and a La Habra teen-ager were sentenced on Friday in Orange County Superior Court to 264 days in jail for their roles in the death of a woman who suffered a heart attack during a fistfight stemming from a traffic dispute at a La Habra shopping center.

But because the two defendants--Rebecca Luker, 22, and Sara Ward, 18--have been in county jail since their arrest in September and have already served more than two-thirds of their sentences, both were set free.

Luker and Ward pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter last month in the death of Tina Roxanne Rodriguez, 26, who died after the September altercation.

They faced a maximum of three years in prison. But Superior Court Judge Robert F. Fitzgerald, saying he believed both women were remorseful, sentenced each to three years’ probation, 264 days in jail and $500 in fines.

On Sept. 2, Luker and Ward were passengers in a car driven by John Richard Collins, 25, of El Monte that nearly collided with another car pulling out of a parking place at a shopping center near the intersection of La Habra and Beach boulevards, according to La Habra police.

Rodriguez, a passenger in the other car, got out and began yelling at Collins. Ward and Luker stepped out to confront Rodriguez. After more shouting, Luker and Ward began punching Rodriguez, a mother of four, police said.

Rodriguez fell to the ground unconscious and died from a heart attack. Luker and Ward returned to Collins’ car and fled the scene.

According to the coroner’s office, Rodriguez suffered from a thyroid condition called Graves’ disease, was susceptible to heart failure and went into cardiac arrest caused by the stress of the fight.

At first, investigators believed the incident was racially motivated because some witnesses said Luker and Ward, who are white, shouted racist remarks at Rodriguez, who was black.

Citing lack of evidence, prosecutor Lewis R. Rosenblum dropped charges that they committed a hate crime.

Luker’s defense attorney was pleased with the sentencing.

“I think the sentencing was appropriate, given what actually happened,” said attorney Robert M. Hartmann. “It is clear that Ms. Rodriguez precipitated the fight. . . . It’s clear that she passed away because of her medical condition.”

Sara Ward’s father, Darrel Ward, said, “I think it’s an unfortunate incident that basically should never have happened.”

Before sentencing, the victim’s husband, George Rodriguez, told the judge that his wife “was taking her medication and getting better. She was never violent or anything like that. I’m going through really hard times right now with our four kids.”

Prosecutor Rosenblum told the judge that he was troubled by the defendants’ courtroom behavior throughout the trial.

“I’ve noticed these defendants were many times laughing and joking, and even flirting. . . . I sincerely wonder if their motivation in pleading guilty was to get the best deal,” Rosenblum said.

After sentencing, George Rodriguez complained the sentence was too lenient. “I don’t think it’s right because they killed my wife. Even if she was sick, if they didn’t beat her up, she wouldn’t be dead.”

At a previous court hearing, Collins pleaded guilty to being an accessory to a felony and receiving stolen property. The car he was driving at the time was stolen. Collins was sentenced to 16 months in state prison.