Four college seniors and sorority sisters tragically lost their lives on a Tuesday night in Malibu, California. A 22-year-old driver allegedly sped down Pacific Coast Highway in a BMW, lost control of his vehicle, and struck the young women as they were walking.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Fraser Michael Bohm was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence after a preliminary investigation. The incident deeply affected the Pepperdine University community and devastated multiple families.
The university identified the victims as Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, all seniors studying at Seaver College of Liberal Arts. Pepperdine University President Jim Gash, himself a parent, described the student deaths as an unimaginable tragedy and expressed his sympathy to the affected families and students.
Authorities reported that the crash took place around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the 21600 block of Pacific Coast Highway, and the victims lost their lives at the scene. The suspect, Bohm, was traveling westbound when he lost control of his vehicle, struck three parked vehicles, and fatally hit Rolston, Stewart, Weir, and Williams.
During a press conference, Capt. Jennifer Seetoo of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department called for action to prevent further tragedies on Pacific Coast Highway. She emphasized the need for a change in law enforcement methods and a partnership between the community and elected officials to save lives.
Video from the crash scene showed Bohm undergoing an apparent sobriety test. However, law enforcement later reported that he was out of jail custody. LASD booking records revealed that Bohm was booked in a felony case at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, with $50,000 bail, and released at 7:20 a.m. the same day, pending further investigation.
Pepperdine University issued a statement expressing the community's unity during this time of immense grief and heartache. They emphasized the uniqueness of each departed student and mourned the unfulfilled hopes and aspirations of their precious community members.
Fraser Bohm, a resident of Malibu, was a former baseball player at Oaks Christian High School, graduating in 2020 and participating in the 2018 Perfect Game Underclass All-American Games. Perfect Game's mission is to host high-quality amateur events and provide opportunities and information to players, families, MLB organizations, college coaches, and fans.
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