Malibu man to stand trial for murder in high-speed crash that left 4 Pepperdine students dead

A 23-year-old resident of Malibu, California, has been ordered by a judge to face trial on charges of murder and vehicular manslaughter following a crash from a year and a half ago that resulted in the deaths of four Pepperdine students.

Prosecutors allege Fraser Bohm was driving at speeds between 93 and 104 mph in an area with a 45 mph speed limit when his vehicle crashed on Pacific Coast Highway on October 17, 2023. This is according to his BMW’s “black box” data, as reported by FOX 11.

Niamh Rolston, 20, Peyton Stewart, 21, Asha Weir, 21, and Deslyn Williams, 21, who were all sorority sisters, were killed in the crash. 

The incident occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m., with Bohm purportedly speeding along a section of the Pacific Coast Highway known as “Dead Man’s Curve,” where he collided with three parked cars.

“It’s a very low standard to make it through the preliminary hearing to bind you for trial,” he added. “It’s not the highest standard, which is beyond a reasonable doubt, at trial.”

Kraut said one of the witnesses admitted to chasing Bohm in a road rage incident he says contributed to the crash. 

Mother and daugther pose with inset of four women.

Tracy Rolston, far left, lost her daughter, Niahm Rolston, in a 2023 Malibu collision when driver Fraser Bohm allegedly struck her and three sorority sisters. Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams were also killed in the crash.  (Courtesy of Tracy Rolston/ Instagram)

He added that witnesses corroborated his client’s claim that he was going “70 miles an hour, not 104,” before the crash, “and every fact that he gave was corroborated.”

Kraut added, “There was somebody who had their lights shining directly into his eyes, and he had to move over, and that was shown on a video where somebody pulled into the center median.” 

The lawyer added a “woman who was in front of him saw those lights, and she moved over part of the lane and honked at him, and that startled him and that moved him in. And that’s when the crash happened.”

Fraser Bohm's family leaves court

The family of Fraser Bohm leave his bail review in 2023.  (Splash News for Fox News Digital)

“This is a horrible, horrible case for everybody — the victims, families,” he said. “It’s a horrific event. And my client’s family and my client feel distraught over what happened. But the issue is holding my client responsible for the level of crime, if any, that he committed, not just going to the top for murder.” 

Superior Court Judge Diego H. Edber scheduled Bohm’s arraignment for July 1. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Los Angeles County DA’s office for comment. 

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