A grieving mother has issued a heartbreaking plea to improve safety on a treacherous stretch of California road where her 18-year-old son and a teenage tennis ace were killed in separate car crashes.
Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom is under fire over claims of inadequate traffic safety measures on the busy highway.
Braun Levi, 18, an accomplished high school tennis player, was hit and killed in May by an alleged drunk driver while walking late at night with a friend.
Now, the family of Mira Costa High School senior Ford Savela, who also died at age 18 two blocks away on the same street in Manhattan Beach four months earlier, are speaking out about their ‘horror’ and ‘unimaginable pain.’ While a passenger in a car, Ford was killed when the vehicle was struck by an alleged hit-and-run speeding driver.
Along with other devastated community members, the family is demanding that authorities take immediate action to improve safety on the busy road before more lives are lost.
In December 2024, a 72-year-old pedestrian named Michael Kawasaki was also killed just blocks away on the same street.
The controversial section of Sepulveda Boulevard is maintained by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), headed by Director Tony Tavares. Appointed by Governor Newsom in 2022, Tavares reportedly earns a $209,000 salary and manages a $20 billion budget.
At the time of the appointment, Newsom said that his hand-picked director would address ‘critical transportation issues’ and support ‘our innovative efforts to create safer and more sustainable communities throughout the state.’
Ford Savela, 18, was killed in a traffic accident in January two blocks from where Braun Levi, 18, another high school senior, died on the same section of treacherous highway in Manhattan Beach in California
‘Having Ford’s precious life stolen from him by a speeding, reckless hit-and-run driver is our never-ending nightmare full of unimaginable pain,’ said his heartbroken mother, Ashley, right
Manhattan Beach City Council, which does not control Sepulveda Boulevard directly, has also been flooded with pleas from outraged residents to take immediate action to prevent speeding on the road where the legal limit is 35 miles per hour.
Despite Newsom’s claims, Ashley Savela, 52, told the Daily Mail that inaction by Caltrans had led to unnecessary road deaths, including that of her beloved son, Ford.
The state agency had a ‘responsibility to do more – and now,’ Savela said.
‘How many deaths will it take? How many children will we have to bury? It’s beyond painful and it’s unacceptable.’
She added: ‘Despite a clear pattern of serious and fatal accidents on Sepulveda in Manhattan Beach, Caltrans has failed to act.
‘Had they responded with urgency and real safety measures after the pedestrian death in December or Ford’s death in January, I can’t help but believe that Braun might still be here.
‘With the abundant resources they have, there should be a real sense of urgency, because no family should have to endure this kind of loss.
‘Our community deserves safer streets and our children deserve better.’
She also pointed to the high death toll – 61 in 15 years – on Pacific Coast Highway, which runs through Malibu 29 miles north of where Highway 1 becomes Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach.
The Savela family from left to right: Chase, 20, Ford, 18, their mother Ashley, 52, and father James, 60
Ford, left, a passionate outdoorsman who loved hiking, rock climbing and stargazing, shared a close bond with his older brother, Chase
Ford, with girlfriend Lana Torres, ‘led with his heart every single day,’ his mother Ashley told the Daily Mail
Newsom, left, and Tavares are shown in 2021 removing an abandoned mattress from Caltrans property in Los Angeles during a cleanup operation
Residents are calling for stronger safety measures, including DUI checkpoints, more lighted pedestrian crossings, red-light cameras, speed-enforcement cameras and pedestrian overpasses.
Manhattan Beach Mayor Amy Howorth expressed ‘profound sadness and heartbreak’ on behalf of the City Council following Braun’s death and said the city’s traffic engineer ‘has been urgently reaching out to Caltrans for a while now.’
Howorth added that the council was working with State Senator Ben Allen to make Caltrans listen because ‘they need to act with urgency and implement robust safety protocols.’
Ford was riding in the back seat of a Subaru driven by older brother, Chase, 20, and a friend was in the front passenger seat. The trio were pulling into the parking lot of a Taco Bell after a late-night trip to the gym in the 300 block of North Sepulveda when they were allegedly hit by a speeding vehicle heading southbound.
The suspect, Kameron Lee Peterson, allegedly fled the scene but was taken into custody by police officers. He has been charged with three felonies: murder, hit-and-run causing death or serious injuries, and reckless driving.
Loyola High School senior Braun Levi was allegedly hit by a drunk driver, Jenia Belt, 33, who was driving on a suspended license from a prior DUI offense. His family had relocated to the area after their home was destroyed in the devastating Palisades fire in Los Angeles.
Belt was booked on suspicion of homicide and DUI and held without bond. Court records show she was previously arrested for drunk driving in November 2023.
A seat honoring Ford was on display during his school’s recent graduation ceremony, which included a photograph, his ashes, graduation cap and flowers. His brother Chase received Ford’s diploma
The section of Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach near Taco Bell where Ford died after the car he was traveling in was struck by a speeding vehicle on January 7
Braun Levi (right) and his tennis partner, Cooper Schwartz (left), had won the Mission League doubles championship just days before he was killed while while crossing the street with a friend at around 12:45 am on May 4
Los Angeles County Superior Court documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times show that she was charged with having a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher. But DUI charges were dropped in a plea deal when she pleaded no contest to misdemeanor hit-and-run with property damage in September 2024.
At Ford’s recent high school graduation ceremony, a seat was reserved in his honor – where a photograph, his ashes, graduation cap and flowers were placed. His diploma was accepted by his brother, Chase.
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The teenager had dreamed of studying environmental science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ford’s mother paid an emotional tribute to him for being ‘so full of love and kindness.’
‘He led with his heart every single day. He was truly pure goodness,’ she said.
‘His smile, one-of-a kind laugh, and silly sense of humor brought joy to everyone he encountered.’
Ford was a passionate outdoorsman who loved hiking, rock climbing and stargazing. He also taught at Sender One indoor rock-climbing center where he shared his enthusiasm and ‘sense of adventure’ with students.
His mother added: ‘Ford really cared about how he made people feel. He tried to make those around him feel seen and heard.
‘There really are no words to do Ford justice. He was so very special and so deeply loved.
‘Having Ford’s precious life stolen from him by a speeding, reckless hit-and-run driver is our never-ending nightmare full of unimaginable pain.’
Ford and Braun were, she said, ‘deeply loved sons, brothers, classmates, and friends. They had big dreams and were so full of potential. Their futures were stolen, but their stories shouldn’t be ignored.’
She added that if ‘something meaningful can come from our unbearable pain, let it be the change that saves another child’s life.’
Caltrans spokesman Eric Menjivar told the Daily Mail: ‘Caltrans expresses heartfelt condolences to the families and friends impacted by the tragic losses earlier this year on Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach.
‘Caltrans is collaborating with the city and collecting safety data from the Manhattan Beach Police Department. Caltrans continues to meet with the city, including the police department, which patrols this segment of Sepulveda Boulevard, to develop a plan to increase safety along the corridor.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Gov. Newsom’s office for comment.