Judge rejects motion to dismiss murder charges against man accused of killing 4 Pepperdine students in tragic Malibu crash
A Los Angeles County Superior judge rejected a defense motion to dismiss murder charges against Fraser Michael Bohm, who is accused of killing four Pepperdine University students during a crash on Pacific Coast Highway in 2023.
At a hearing on Monday morning, Bohm's attorneys argued that there was insufficient evidence to support the murder charges. After the hearing, Alan Jackson, one of Bohm's attorneys, said they were disappointed with LA County Superior Court Judge Thomas Rubinson's ruling and plan to take the necessary steps to have an appellate court review the court's order.
"This is not a murder case; it's never been a murder case," Jackson said. "It was wildly overcharged from the very beginning."
Bohm is currently charged with four counts of murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence for the Oct. 17, 2023, crash that killed four sorority sisters. According to prosecutors, Bohm was allegedly speeding along PCH in Malibu when he slammed into several parked cars along the shoulder of the roadway. The impact allegedly caused the cars to crash into the students as they stood on the side of the road.
Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams were all seniors at the university at the time of the crash. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Since the students were months away from graduation, the university awarded the students their degrees posthumously.
At the time of the crash, Former District Attorney George Gascón claimed that Bohm was "allegedly speeding at speeds of 104 miles an hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone when he lost control of his BMW," explaining that the murder charges were filed because of "the speed, the reckless disregard for the safety of others."
Bohm's previous attorneys argued that there was no evidence to support Gascón's claim that he was driving at 104 mph. They also claimed that Bohm was a victim of road rage. Jackson continued that argument in court that his client was allegedly being chased and harassed on the road.
Jackson said his team is also reviewing witness statements from the crash and added that he plans to "uncover every single stone and look around every single corner."
The stretch of PCH where the accident occurred between Las Flores Canyon and Carbon Canyon roads has been the scene of several other car crashes. The 2023 crash has led to other lawsuits calling for solutions to minimize the danger and speed along that section of the road.
