High school tennis star who lost home in wildfire is mowed down and killed by drunk driver a month before graduating: Cops

A precocious schoolhouse tennis prima from California who was conscionable a period distant from graduating was struck and killed by a suspected drunk operator implicit the weekend, constabulary say.

Braun Levi, 18, had relocated to the Manhattan Beach country aft his household mislaid their location successful the Palisades Fire, according to the Los Angeles Times. He was mowed down by 33-year-old Jenia Belt, of Los Angeles, astatine astir 1 a.m. connected Sunday portion walking with a person down Sepulveda Boulevard, the Manhattan Beach Police Department reports.

“Despite beingness redeeming measures, the pedestrian succumbed to their injuries and was pronounced deceased astatine the hospital,” MBPD officials said successful a property merchandise Sunday. “The operator of the progressive vehicle, 33 twelvemonth aged Jenia Belt of Los Angeles, was arrested for felony DUI and murder.”

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Levi was reportedly making his mode up the nationalist tennis ranks arsenic a elder astatine Loyola High School, a backstage Roman Catholic college-preparatory instauration successful Los Angeles, section NBC affiliate KNBC reported. He was memorialized astatine a supplication vigil held connected field Sunday nighttime and remembered arsenic idiosyncratic who was selfless and ever trying to bash the close things arsenic a subordinate and teammate, according to the outlet.

“Braun organized the Loyola Strong retreat that we had for students whose families mislaid their homes successful the Palisades Fire,” Father John Quinn, a schoolhouse priest, reportedly said astatine the vigil. “He himself mislaid his location successful the Palisades Fire,” Quinn said astir Levi. “Somebody truthful adjacent to graduation who loved this schoolhouse truthful overmuch was taken from america acold excessively soon.”

Days earlier his death, Levi reportedly won his 4th consecutive Mission League doubles title for Loyola, on with teammate Cooper Schwartz.

“A four-year starter, Levi completes his rubric expanse with his 4th consecutive doubles title (2022 & 2023 with Darren Ignatius ’24) portion Schwartz wins his 2nd successful a enactment with Levi (2024 & 2025) and 3rd wide successful his career,” the schoolhouse wrote connected its Loyola Athletics Instagram leafage aft the April 29 win. “Congratulations!”

Describing Levi successful an IG station aft his death, the schoolhouse noted however helium was a squad skipper and four-year varsity starter who “cemented himself arsenic 1 of the astir accomplished student-athletes successful programme history,” per its post. He was going to be the University of Virginia successful the fall.

“Levi was a existent person passim our campus, serving arsenic a subordinate of the Student Council, a elder Big Brother, Kairos retreat person and volleyball squad manager, to sanction a few,” the schoolhouse said. “His lovable personality, infectious smile, and boundless vigor made him a beloved subordinate of the Loyola community. He was a existent Man for and With Others, and we volition miss him dearly.”