The family of 18-year-old California tennis standout Braun Levi has filed a $200 million wrongful death lawsuit after he was killed by an alleged drunk driver, according to multiple reports.
“Our family has made the decision to file a civil lawsuit against the individual responsible for taking Braun’s life,” Braun’s mother, Jennifer Levi, 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 struck by a vehicle driven by 33-year-old Jenia Resha Belt, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Officers arrived at approximately 1 a.m. and found Levi in the street next to a vehicle. He was transported to a hospital, where he died from his injuries, the Manhattan Beach Police Department said in a press release.
Belt, who allegedly had a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit, was driving on a suspended license stemming from a prior DUI arrest, according to court records obtained by the Times.
“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 added that the case is also about pushing for broader change. “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 crash and released from custody one month later, on June 4, the Times reported. No criminal charges have yet 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 for the L.A. County district attorney’s office told the newspaper Tuesday afternoon. “No case has yet been formally presented.”
In the meantime, Braun’s family is trying to transform their grief into action.
They say proceeds from the lawsuit will go toward scholarships, public tennis centers, and impaired-driving awareness efforts through their Live Like Braun Foundation.
Braun, whose family moved to the South Bay area after losing their Palisades home in the January wildfires, was a nationally ranked tennis player and had committed to play at the University of Virginia in the fall.
