Family of 18-Year-Old Tennis Star Killed by Alleged Drunk Driver Just Before Graduation Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit By Anna Lazarus Caplan

The family of Braun Levi, the 18-year-old California high school tennis star who was killed by an alleged drunk driver, has filed a $200 million wrongful death lawsuit, according to multiple reports.

“Our family has made the decision to file a civil lawsuit against the individual responsible for taking Braun’s life,” Jennifer Levi, Braun’s mother, said in a statement obtained by the Los Angeles Times and the Manhattan Beach News on Sunday, Nov. 16. “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.”

Levi was crossing Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach at around 12:46 a.m. on Sunday, May 4 when he was hit by a vehicle driven by 33-year-old Jenia Resha Belt, according to the Los Angeles Times.

When officers arrived at approximately 1 a.m., they found Levi in the street next to a vehicle. He was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries, according to a Manhattan Beach Police Department press release.

Belt, who had a blood alcohol level of nearly twice the legal limit, was driving on a suspended license from a prior DUI arrest, according to court records obtained by the Times.

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“As a repeat offender, Jenia Belt knew the inherent risks of driving under the influence, and she must be held accountable for her negligence,” the Levi family’s attorney Spencer Lucas said in a statement. “Not only has she stolen the life of an incredible young man, but she has forever changed the lives of those who loved him.”

Lucas continued, “We stand with the Levi family in seeking justice for Braun and creating lasting change by reforming California’s DUI laws to prevent tragedies from impaired driving.”

Belt was arrested at the scene of the accident and was released from custody one month later, on June 4, the Times reported. No charges have been filed against her, according to the outlet.

“Specialized prosecutors have been working with investigators from the beginning and are continuing to monitor the investigation,” a spokesman with the L.A. County district attorney’s office told the newspaper Tuesday afternoon. “No case has yet been formally presented.”

Meanwhile, the Levi family is channeling their grief into activism, hoping some good can come from their son’s tragedy.

Proceeds from the civil lawsuit will fund scholarships and public tennis centers, as well as raise awareness about impaired driving through their Live Like Braun Foundation, the family said.

Braun, whose family relocated to the South Bay area after losing their Palisades home in the January wildfires, was a nationally ranked tennis player who had committed to play at the University of Virginia in the fall.