Former UCLA student dies in car crash on Interstate 5
By Xandi Staines
May 3, 2005 9:00 p.m.
William Leslie Britt, a former UCLA student, died on April 28 in
a car accident on Interstate 5. He was 22.
Britt had been a student at UCLA up until fall 2004, when he
transferred to University of the Pacific. He was a member of the
fraternity Zeta Beta Tau.
Services for Britt were held Tuesday in Sacramento. Many of his
fellow ZBT members, along with some other friends, took a charter
bus up north early Tuesday morning to attend the services.
Ali Youssefi, a fourth-year economics student at Dartmouth
College and Britt’s friend since childhood, described him as
smart, fun and extremely likeable.
“He had the ability to make everyone around him laugh and
have a good time,” Youssefi said. “He was the life of
the party.”
Youssefi said Britt was very interested in politics and had
considered attending law school after graduation.
Britt had been speeding on Interstate Highway 5 when he struck
the back of a semi truck. His car went under the truck, causing its
roof to cave in, California Highway Patrol spokesman Jasper Begay
told the Sacramento Bee.
Fong said at the request of Britt’s father, Britt’s
friends brought no flowers to the services, but instead collected
money among themselves to donate to the fight against breast cancer
in memory of Britt’s mother, who passed away from breast
cancer. Fong added that the students who rode on the bus raised
about $500.
Britt is survived by his father Don, stepmother Morgan, sister
Jennifer, brother Daniel and stepsisters Taylor and Courtney.
The family suggests a donation in William’s name to a
local cancer organization in support of breast cancer research.
Contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345.
