Judge Rejects Bid to Dismiss Murder Charges in Fatal Student Crash
A Los Angeles judge has refused to drop murder charges against a young man accused of killing four Pepperdine University students in a horrific car crash on Malibu's notorious Pacific Coast Highway.
Fraser Bohm, 23, faces four counts of second-degree murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence for the deaths of Niamh Rolston, 20, Asha Weir, 21, Peyton Stewart, 21 and Deslyn Williams, 21 in the October 2023 pileup.
On Monday, LA Superior Court Judge Thomas Rubenson rejected arguments from Bohm's defence team that murder charges were unjustified, stating there was 'sufficient evidence' to warrant the serious charges.
Defence Claims Road Rage Incident
Bohm's legal team attempted to persuade the court that the deaths resulted from a tragic accident occurring during a road rage incident where their client was being chased. However, Judge Rubenson remained unconvinced.
'There is no doubt that this man was driving extremely fast on PCH… close to, even above 100mph,' the judge told the court. 'The defendant knew how dangerous it was to drive at 100mph… that his actions had a high degree of probability of causing death.'
Investigators found no evidence supporting the road rage claim that Bohm's defence team presented as part of their argument.
The four young women died on October 17, 2023, when Bohm - allegedly driving his BMW at 104mph - smashed into three parked vehicles in the parking lane next to where the students were walking. The speed limit on that stretch of road is just 45mph.
Conflicting Evidence and Technical Challenges
In a 59-page filing, Bohm's defence team cited 'conflicting' evidence and described surveillance footage from cameras near the scene as unreliable and 'glitchy'.
The defence highlighted several undisputed facts about their client: He had no drugs or alcohol in his system, wasn't texting or distracted, and had an unblemished driving record with no prior accidents or traffic violations.
However, prosecutors presented data from the black box in Bohm's BMW showing the vehicle accelerated from 93mph to 104mph in just two-and-a-half seconds before impact.
'He consciously decided to get that vehicle up to the speed of 104mph,' prosecutor Bartos stated during an earlier hearing. 'And he lost control of his vehicle... This was not an accident.'
All four victims were seniors at Pepperdine's Seaver College of Liberal Arts and members of the Alpha Phi Sorority. They were due to graduate with the class of 2024 and received their degrees posthumously.
Community Outrage and Safety Measures
The tragic crash ignited outrage across Malibu, where residents have long demanded safety improvements along the dangerous stretch of Pacific Coast Highway between Carbon Canyon and Las Flores Canyon.
The section has earned the grim nickname 'Dead Man's Curve' after witnessing 53 deaths and 92 serious injuries between 2013 and 2023.
On the one-year anniversary of the students' deaths, Malibu officials met to discuss new safety measures and created a California highway patrol task force to crack down on speeders.
Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill authorising speed camera installation on a 21-mile stretch of PCH through Malibu. The city is also considering more ambitious plans to completely redesign the highway into a safer, community-focused corridor.
The parents of all four victims have filed wrongful death lawsuits against Bohm and are also suing the State of California, LA County, the City of Malibu and the California Coastal Commission, alleging dangerous road design and inadequate safety standards.
Bohm, who appeared in court wearing a grey suit and tie, showed little emotion during the proceedings but looked confused when the judge dismissed his motion to throw out the murder charges. The case continues as the legal process moves forward.
