Prosecutors Allege Alcohol Impairment in the May Collision That Led to the Death of the Loyola High School Tennis Standout
Manhattan Beach police said a woman accused of causing a fatal pedestrian crash earlier this year was arrested this week following a months-long investigation.
Jenia Resha Belt was taken into custody on December 23, 2025, by investigators with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and booked into the Manhattan Beach Police Department jail, according to a social media statement. She is charged with one felony count of second-degree murder, one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and one misdemeanor count of driving while her license was suspended or revoked due to a specified blood-alcohol level. Bail has been set at $2 million.
The arrest stems from a collision reported about 12:45 a.m. May 4, 2025, on Sepulveda Boulevard near 2nd Street that killed 18-year-old Braun Levi. Police said Levi was crossing the roadway when he was struck by a silver Infiniti FX35 driven by Belt.
Manhattan Beach Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and transported Levi to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he later died due to the catastrophic injuries inflicted on his body despite efforts to save his life.
According to investigators, Belt admitted at the scene that she had been driving and had consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Officers said she failed a field sobriety test, and a subsequent blood test showed a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.19%, more than twice the legal limit. A records check also revealed her driver’s license had been suspended in 2024 as part of a plea agreement in a misdemeanor hit-and-run case in which a related DUI charge was dismissed.
We interviewed Jennifer Levi in September about the tragedy. Braun Levi’s life was celebrated by students at Loyola High School and his friends in Manhattan Beach. A memorial tennis tournament was held on his birthday.
Traffic officers with the Manhattan Beach Police Department investigated the crash and submitted their findings to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, which later filed the charges that led to Belt’s arrest.
Levi was a senior at Loyola High School at the time of his death and widely recognized as one of the most accomplished athletes in the school’s history. He won four consecutive tennis league championships, including three as team captain, and had been admitted to the University of Virginia to play tennis just weeks before his graduation.
The Levi family relocated to the South Bay after losing their home in the Palisades Fire. During that time, Braun and a Loyola High School classmate helped establish a peer-to-peer counseling group to support students displaced by the fires, according to family members.
Levi’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit seeking $200 million in damages in November, along with punitive damages, against Belt. The family has said any proceeds would support the Live Like Braun Foundation, created to honor Levi’s life and raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving.
“Our family has made the decision to file a civil lawsuit against the individual responsible for taking Braun’s life,” said Jennifer Levi. “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.”
Jennifer Levi, a Mothers Against Drunk Driving California State Legislative Board Member and an Advocate for California DUI Sentencing Reform, has made it her mission to support DUI prevention and awareness.
