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Jenia Resha Belt, 33, is facing multiple charges — including murder — in connection with the death of Braun Levi
The Loyola High School senior was allegedly hit by a vehicle driven by Belt on Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach just before 1 a.m. on Sunday, May 4
Just months before his death, Levi’s family lost their home in the Palisades Fire
A suspected drunk driver was charged with second-degree murder on Tuesday, Dec. 23, in connection with the death of an 18-year-old California high school tennis star.
Jenia Resha Belt, 33, is also charged with one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and one misdemeanor count of “driving when privilege suspended or revoked for driving with specified blood alcohol level” in connection with the death of Braun Levi, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The Loyola High School senior was allegedly hit by a vehicle driven by Belt on Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach just before 1 a.m. on Sunday, May 4, according to a Manhattan Beach Police Department press release.
When officers arrived at approximately 1 a.m., they discovered the teen in the street next to a vehicle. He was transported to a hospital, where he died from his injuries, authorities said.
According to court records obtained by the Los Angeles Times, authorities allege that Belt’s blood alcohol level was close to twice the legal limit and that her license was suspended at the time of the fatal crash because of an earlier DUI arrest.
Loyola High School
Braun Levi
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Just months before his death, his family lost their home in the Palisades Fire and relocated to the South Bay area.
Jamal Adams, Principal and President-elect of Loyola High School of Los Angeles, previously told PEOPLE that Levi stepped up after the wildfires to care for others, helping to create a peer-to-peer counseling space for students who had been displaced. He also worked with his best friend and the school administration to organize an overnight retreat for those affected.
Adams said Levi always put others first. “He was a shining example of caring for other people — even in the midst of going through his own personal situation,” Adams said.
Levi had plans to go to the University of Virginia in September, per the Times.
After his death, his parents started the Live Like Braun Foundation. The foundation focuses on providing scholarships, repair and building of public tennis centers, and raising awareness about impaired driving.
“Braun Levi was an extraordinary soul whose radiant energy touched everyone who knew him,” the website states.
In November, the family filed a $200 million wrongful death lawsuit, according to the Times.
Belt’s arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 13.
She is currently in custody on $2 million bail.
Read the original article on People