Manhattan Beach, California — Prosecutors in Los Angeles County have filed murder and related charges against a 33-year-old woman in connection with a fatal drunk-driving crash that killed an 18-year-old high school senior nearly eight months ago. The case brought on fierce debate in California over impaired driving laws and how repeat offenders are monitored and punished.
Quiet Sunday Turns Deadly
On May 4, 2025, in the early morning hours of what should have been a quiet Sunday, Manhattan Beach police were called to the 100 block of Sepulveda Boulevard after witnesses reported hearing the violent sound of a vehicle striking a pedestrian.
The victim, identified as Braun W. Levi, a senior at Loyola High School and a nationally ranked tennis standout, was walking with a friend when he was struck. Emergency responders rushed him to a hospital, but he succumbed to catastrophic injuries soon after arrival.
In December 2025, nearly seven months after the collision, Jenia Resha Belt, a Los Angeles resident and security guard by occupation, was formally charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and a misdemeanor count for driving while her license was suspended or revoked for a specified blood-alcohol level.
Belt was taken into custody by investigators from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office and is being held on $2 million bail ahead of her arraignment, which has been continued into mid-January at the Torrance Courthouse.
According to the district attorney’s office, prosecutors allege Belt was driving under the influence of alcohol when she struck Levi as he crossed Sepulveda Boulevard near Ronda Drive at approximately 12:45 a.m. on the night of the crash.
The official court filing states the collision occurred while Belt was speeding and driving with a blood-alcohol level far above the legal limit. If convicted as charged, she could face a sentence ranging up to 15 years to life in California state prison.
A Troubled Driving History and a Delayed Path to Charges
A striking element of the case is Belt’s driving record. Court records indicate that Belt had previously been arrested in November 2023 on DUI and hit-and-run charges. Those original DUI charges were later dismissed as part of a plea agreement in which Belt pleaded no contest to hit-and-run with property damage, served probation and was ordered to make restitution.
Her license was subsequently suspended by the California Department of Motor Vehicles in early 2024. At the time of the 2025 crash, she was not legally permitted to drive.
Though Belt was initially arrested at the scene of the crash in May, she was released from custody in June while the investigation continued, a fact that has drawn scrutiny from victims’ rights advocates and the Levi family. It was only in late December that formal murder charges were filed, following submission of the investigating officers’ findings to the district attorney’s office.
The Levi family has since stepped into the spotlight, launching both legal action and advocacy efforts. In November 2025, they filed a $200 million wrongful-death lawsuit against Belt, seeking punitive and compensatory damages. Their attorneys said the lawsuit is about accountability and preventing future tragedies.
A Mother’s Grief Fuels Calls for Tougher DUI Laws
At a press conference held alongside Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, Braun’s mother, Jennifer Levi, described her son’s death as a “preventable tragedy” and used the moment to call for stronger statewide DUI laws.
She argued current penalties for impaired driving are insufficient and urged lawmakers and law-enforcement officials to take a harder stance on repeat offenders. She stated that the pain of identifying her son’s body remains with her and that it drives her commitment to change California’s approach to drunk driving crimes.
State lawmakers have responded with cautious support for proposed legislation aimed at tightening DUI sentencing guidelines and expanding requirements for alcohol monitoring devices in vehicles of convicted drivers. Discussions are ongoing in the state legislature, with backers citing this case as emblematic of broader failures in the system.
This case shines a spotlight on the grim reality of alcohol-related collisions in California and the sometimes lengthy legal path from crash scene to criminal indictment.
Sources: da.lacounty.gov