Jennifer and Daniel Levi, parents of Braun Levi, a Pacific Palisades teenager killed by a speeding drunk driver in Manhattan Beach on May 4, have filed a $200 million wrongful death complaint against the driver, Jenia Resha Belt, 33. All proceeds from the lawsuit will go to the Live Like Braun Foundation.
According to the complaint, Levi, an 18-year-old standout tennis player and Loyola High School senior, was walking with a friend along Sepulveda Boulevard at its intersection with 2nd Street around 1 a.m. when he was struck and killed. Belt was arrested at the scene and later found to have a suspended driver’s license for an alleged dropped DUI charge.Levi Lawsuit
Belt’s blood alcohol content was allegedly more than double the legal limit. She is said to have had four passengers in the car who fled the scene after the collision.
Levi Braun had recently moved to Hermosa Beach with his family after losing their home in the January Palisades Fire. He was a three-time captain of the tennis team at Loyola High School and had won four consecutive tennis league championships. He had already been admitted to the University of Virginia to play tennis in the fall.
The lawsuit alleges Belt had been arrested and prosecuted in November 2023 for a drunk driving accident that resulted in an injury collision. The charges were allegedly reduced to a hit-and-run offense after Belt entered into a plea deal that is said to have resulted in the suspension of her license and twelve months of probation.
The complaint states that after these incidents and classes related to the dangers of drunk driving, “[Belt] nevertheless willfully chose to operate her vehicle while severely intoxicated in conscious disregard for the safety of others.”
The Levi family is asking for a jury trial and $100 million in damages for each parent, directed to the Live Like Braun Foundation.
Jennifer Levi, Braun’s mother, is a Mothers Against Drunk Driving CA State Legislative Member and an Advocate for CA DUI Sentencing Reform. Through the Live Like Braun Foundation, she supports DUI prevention efforts by raising mainstream awareness, participating in school assemblies, leading digital campaigns, and partnering with driver education programs to promote safe and responsible driving. The foundation is also helping rebuild tennis courts in the Pacific Palisades and offering scholarship opportunities.
“Our family has made the decision to file a civil lawsuit against the individual responsible for taking Braun’s life,” said Jennifer Levi in a statement from the law firm filing the suit. “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.”
(Editor’s note: this story first appeared in the Westside Current November 18, 2025 and is reprinted with permission.)