A 29-year-old career criminal was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison for causing the death of his best friend in a crash while trying to elude police in a high-speed chase.

Circuit Judge Glenn Kim sentenced Steven M. Sandry, of Wahiawa, who pleaded guilty to first-degree negligent homicide and other charges in mid-January.

On Dec. 2, 2012, Michael Daraban Jr., 39, was a passenger in a car driven by Sandry that crashed in Wahiawa. Police said Sandry drove Daraban’s Honda sedan through a red light on Kunia Road at 7:10 a.m. The Honda hit a white Camry that was turning into Foote Gate at Schofield Barracks and slammed into a traffic signal pole, rolling over several times.

"The impact was great," said Kim, adding that it tore the Honda in half.

Daraban was ejected from the car and died at the scene.

Kim said it was "a minor miracle" that the two occupants of the Camry escaped major injuries.

An hour before the crash, police had unsuccessfully tried to serve a drug search warrant on Daraban at his Wahiawa home. Officers located the Honda in Waialua and began following it. When Sandry spotted a marked police car, he sped away, police said.

After Wednesday’s hearing, the victim’s sister, Maurica Daniel, told reporters she was on the phone with Daraban during the high-speed police chase and just before the crash. Daniel said she heard her brother tell Sandry to end the pursuit and that police could call him on his cellphone.

"To me the punishment is not enough," Daniel said.

In his brief statement in court, Sandry apologized to the victim’s family. "I take full responsibility for everything," Sandry said.

Describing the victim as his best friend, Sandry added: "If I could take back everything, I would."

The victim’s mother, Charlene Daraban, told the judge: "I am not angry. I don’t hate him (Sandry).

"Whatever happens today, happens.

"I think he made poor choices that resulted ultimately in the death of my son."

Daraban, after the hearing, told reporters she was satisfied with the judge’s actions. "There has to be consequences for actions taken. But it’s sad another mother is going to lose a son in another way. That’s sad."

During the hearing, Daniel told the judge that because of Sandry’s actions "my brother will never ever get to see me get married … he won’t get to see his daughter get married. That will happen shortly."

She added: "I will never get to see my brother, except when I go to his grave."

During the sentencing, Kim noted the defendant’s extensive criminal history over the past decade, which included car theft, racing and marijuana and crystal meth violations.

Kim said Sandry had just completed a prison sentence for auto theft in January 2012.

Sandry was also sentenced Wednesday in an unrelated case to five years for auto theft and one year for driving without a license and possessing a butterfly knife. The sentences would be served at the same time as the negligent homicide sentence.