A 20-year-old man who killed his friend in a drunken-driving crash in Laie in 2009 pleaded no contest yesterday to first-degree negligent homicide.

Bryan Thomas Miller III entered his plea in state Circuit Court without the benefit of a plea agreement just two months after an Oahu grand jury indicted him on the charge.

As Miller left the courtroom, the victim’s mother and sister waved at him and whispered, "Thank you."

He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in May. He remains free on $20,000 bail.

Waika Carvalho, 23, was the front-seat passenger in Miller’s pickup truck Nov. 14, 2009, when Miller lost control of his vehicle and crashed it into the guardrail on Kamehameha Highway’s Kahawainui Bridge.

Carvalho, a former Kahuku High School star quarterback and nephew of Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, died at the scene.

Carvalho played on the 2003 Red Raiders squad that stormed to an undefeated 14-0 record and the Oahu Interscholastic Association championship and state title. The Red Raiders beat Saint Louis at Aloha Stadium that year to win the state prep crown.

Two other male passengers, both 18 at the time, suffered critical injuries. Miller, who was 19 at the time, suffered serious injuries.

The prosecutor said Miller is not facing charges for injuring the other passengers because the two refused to cooperate in prosecuting their friend.

The state says Miller’s blood alcohol content was 0.19.

It is unlawful for a person under 21 to operate a vehicle with any amount of alcohol in his system. For those older than 21, the threshold is 0.08.