Topline
A 22-year-old accused of losing control of his sedan before crashing into three parked cars and killing four Pepperdine University students has been rearrested and pleaded not guilty Wednesday after his charges were upgraded from gross vehicular manslaughter to murder.
Damian Levitt of streetsareforeveryone.org (SAFE) offers his thoughts about traffic safety on the … [+]
Key Facts
Fraser Michael Bohm, 22, was arrested for the second time Tuesday and pleaded not guilty at his first court hearing Wednesday, where he claimed he was speeding to try “to get away from someone who was aggressively chasing him,” ABC 7 Los Angeles reported.
His bail was lowered from $8 million to $4 million.
Officials said Bohm was speeding on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California, when his BMW plowed into three other vehicles, ricocheted and killed four members of the Alpha Phi sorority at Pepperdine University.
He was initially arrested on a charge of gross vehicular manslaughter following the October 17 crash and was treated for minor injuries before being released, while detectives continued an investigation that included collecting evidence of toxicology and speed, as well as executing search warrants, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
Each murder charge carries with it the possibility of 25 years to life in prison in the state of California, where the death penalty is also legal recourse for the crime but has been put on hold by a moratorium issued in June of this year by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
A view looking north near the 21600 block of the Pacific Coast Highway, where four Pepperdine … [+]
Key Background
The four women killed last week—Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams—were described by a fellow student as “best friends.” Pepperdine president Jim Gash said in a letter that the students brought “joy and light to our campus.” Pepperdine hosted a memorial service to honor them in the days following the crash. A memorial fund has been established to support the families of the students, who were seniors, and ultimately create a scholarship in their name to benefit students of the Seaver College of Liberal Arts. A feature on the four women in People magazine remembered Rolston as a three-sport athlete, Williams a future veterinarian, Stewart an ambitious intern at TikTok in Austin, Texas, and Weir a writer with plans to pursue fashion and music. The women will receive their degrees posthumously.
Tangent
The crash has put a renewed focus on the dangers of California’s 21-mile Pacific Coast Highway, which was the subject of discussion at a Malibu City Council meeting Monday. Residents and safety advocates spoke at the meeting about the possibility of reducing speed limits on the road and stepping up enforcement, ABC 7 reported, while some speakers held up signs featuring photos of the four victims with “Failed!” written in bold letters. A documentary called 21 Miles in Malibu premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival earlier this year, exploring the particular dangers of the road—distraction, speeding and intoxication are cited by California Highway Patrol as the primary causes of fatalities—as well as the frequent calls for change that occur after deadly incidents. Its proximity to Hollywood has made the road the site of several incidents involving famous figures, including the 2015 death of rapper MC Supreme (given name: Dewayne Coleman) and a multi-vehicle crash involving Caitlyn Jenner the same year, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Other high-profile incidents include a four-fatality crash days before Christmas in 2014 and a drunk driving accident that killed three teenagers on spring break in 2018.
Big Number
49. That’s how many people were killed on the PCH between 2012 and 2022.
Further Reading
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/10/25/driver-accused-of-killing-four-pepperdine-students-pleads-not-guilty-to-murder-afters-charges-upgraded/