Family of high school California tennis star killed by alleged drunk driver a month before graduation files wrongful death lawsuit

The heartbroken parents of a California high school tennis star have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the alleged drunk driver who fatally hit him while he was out for a late-night stroll with friends.Braun Levi, 18, was walking with a friend down a boulevard in Manhattan Beach at around 1 a.m.on May 4 when an Infiniti FX35 allegedly driven by 33-year-old Jenia Resha Belt plowed into the teen and killed him.Levi was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, just a month before he was due to graduate from Loyola High School.Belt — who was driving with a suspended license following a prior DUI arrest — had a blood alcohol level nearly two times the legal limit at the time of the crash, according to court records obtained by the Los Angeles Times.Authorities arrested the alleged drunk driver at the scene, but after being released on June 4, Belt has yet to be formally charged with a crime relating to Levi’s death.

Now, after months of battling with their grief, Levi’s parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Belt for $200 million in damages.“Our family has made the decision to file a civil lawsuit against the individual responsible for taking Braun’s life,” the teen’s mother, Jennifer Levi, said.“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’s parents said the money won in the lawsuit will go to the “Live Like Braun Foundation” — a scholarship fund they founded following their son’s death that will also help support public tennis centers and raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving.The lawsuit claims Belt visited a bar in Hermosa Beach and consumed “excessive quantities of alcohol” before driving.“Defendant Belt voluntarily commenced and thereafter continued to consume alcoholic beverages to the point of intoxication, knowing from the outset tha...