The parents of a promising high school tennis player, who tragically lost his life in an alleged drunk driving incident, have initiated a wrongful death lawsuit. The heartbreaking event unfolded in Manhattan Beach, California, where 18-year-old Braun Levi was fatally struck while crossing the street with friends on May 4.
Accused in this tragic incident is 33-year-old Jenia Resha Belt, who reportedly drove her Infiniti FX35 into Levi with a blood alcohol level almost double the legal limit. Compounding the severity of the situation, Belt was allegedly operating the vehicle on a suspended license due to a previous DUI arrest, as reported by court documents examined by the Los Angeles Times.
Following the incident, Belt was apprehended at the scene but was released from custody on June 4, without any formal charges being filed against her at that point. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has stated that specialized prosecutors have been involved from the outset and continue to oversee the investigation’s progress, according to a spokesperson who spoke to the LA Times.
She was also driving on a suspended license following a prior DUI arrest, according to court records obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
She was arrested at the scene and was released from custody on June 4, but has not yet been charged with any wrongdoing.
‘Specialized prosecutors have been working with investigators from the beginning and are continuing to monitor the investigation,’ a spokesman from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told the LA Times.
‘No case has been formally presented.’
In the meantime, Levi’s parents have decided to take justice into their own hands by filing a $200 million wrongful death suit against her on November 12.
‘Our family has made the decision to file a civil lawsuit against the individual responsible for taking Braun’s life,’ his mother, Jennifer Levi, said in a statement.
‘This is not a decision rooted in anger, vengeance or financial gain. It is a decision grounded in accountability, prevention, reform and the unwavering love we have for Braun.’
Braun Levi, 18, was struck and killed while crossing a street in Manhattan Beach, California with his friends on May 4
His parents have now filed a wrongful death suit against the allegedly drunk driver that plowed into him
According to the lawsuit, Belt went to a bar in Hermosa Beach and consumed ‘excessive quantities of alcohol’ before she got behind the wheel.
‘Defendant Belt voluntarily commenced and thereafter continued to consume alcoholic beverages to the point of intoxication, knowing from the outset that she must thereafter operate a motor vehicle,’ it says.
She then ‘willfully chose to operate the subject vehicle while intoxicated at an unsafe and excessive rate of speed’ before hitting Levi, who the suit says sustained ‘severe injuries to his body and head that ultimately resulted in his death.’
The lawsuit goes on to claim that officers who arrived at the scene of the deadly crash noticed Belt smelled of alcohol and was taken into custody for driving under the influence.
It also notes that Belt, who allegedly admitted to drinking alcohol before the deadly crash, was a ‘repeat offender drunk driver, having been previously arrested and prosecuted for drunk driving and causing an injury collision.’
LA County court records have shown Belt was charged with DUI stemming from an incident on November 25, 2023 in which an injury occurred.
But the DUI charges were dropped in a plea deal she entered in September 2024 in which Belt pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor count of hit and run with property damage.
As part of the plea deal, Belt’s license was reportedly suspender and she was placed on one year probation, according to Westside Current.
Jenia Resha Belt, 33, had a blood alcohol level nearly two times the legal limit at the time of the crash and was driving on a suspended license following a prior DUI arrest, according to court records
Following that arrest, Levi’s parents claim ‘she was warned that drinking and driving can severely injure and even kill innocent people. She was well aware of the impairing effects of alcohol on drivers, including poor decision making, speeding, blurred vision and slowed reaction time.
‘Despite being on probation for a DUI-related offense, Defendant Belt nevertheless willfully hose to operate her vehicle while severely intoxicated in conscious disregard for the safety of others,’ the suit says.
Levi’s parents have said all of the proceeds from the lawsuit will go toward their Live Like Braun Foundation to raise money for scholarships and public tennis centers, and raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving.
At the time of his death, Levi was the captain of Loyola High School’s varsity tennis team and ‘one of the most accomplished student-athletes in program history,’ according at statement from the school’s athletics department.
He and his tennis partner, Cooper Schwartz, had won the Mission League doubles championship just days before he was killed – marking the star athlete’s fourth big win in a row.
The teenager was also set to play tennis at the University of Virginia.
Levi has been remembered as a star tennis player
He and his tennis partner, Cooper Schwartz, had won the Mission League doubles championship just days before he was killed – marking the star athlete’s fourth big win in a row
He also helped create a peer-to-peer counseling group for other students at the $27,000 Jesuit school in Los Angeles who were impacted by the Palisades fire in January.
The fire ravaged roughly 6,800 structures on its own. Combined with the devastation caused by the simultaneously burning Eaton Fire, about 16,000 buildings were wrecked.
Levi’s own family was forced to relocate after the blaze burned down their home in the Pacific Palisades, which was estimated to be valued at $3.2 million to $4.1 million and had recently moved to Hermosa Beach when he was killed.
‘In every way he was exceptional. He was an exceptional student, a killer athlete, one of the best tennis players in our school,’ Principal Jamal Adams told USA Today following his untimely death.
‘He was a humble young man who did a great job highlighting and bringing joy to the people around him,’ Adams continued, calling Levi a ‘stellar part of the community.’
It is unclear whether Belt has retained an attorney who could speak on her behalf.
