Malibu crash: Driver was victim of road rage before collision, lawyer says

MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- A judge postponed a bail hearing review until Monday for the 22-year-old man charged in the Malibu crash that killed four Pepperdine University students.

Fraser Bohm is charged with four counts of murder and four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter.

Defense attorney Michael Kraut is asking the judge to lower Bohm's bail from $4 million to $400,000, contending that Bohm was a victim of road rage.

Kraut claimed his client was trying to get away from someone who was aggressively chasing him just before the deadly crash on the Pacific Coast Highway last week. Investigators say Bohm was speeding when he lost control of his car and hit several parked cars, which crashed into the women who died.

"Today is the day that the narrative changes on Mr. Bohm's case," attorney Michael Kraut told reporters outside the courtroom on Thursday. "Then the other person came in his lane and started pushing him. That person then made contact with my client's car."

WATCH: Driver re-arrested on 4 counts of murder in PCH crash that killed Pepperdine students

The driver in the crash on PCH in Malibu that killed four Pepperdine University students has been re-arrested for four counts of murder, authorities say.

Bohm pleaded not guilty to murder during his first court appearance Wednesday.

Kraut told Eyewitness News he and his team have "evidence that the sheriff's department did not want to take" that "clearly shows that there was a road-rage incident" that started before the crash.

Kraut would not say where he got the video from but says it did not come from the driver or his family. He said the video lasts several minutes and claims sheriff's investigators ignored his attempt to show them the evidence.

"The sheriff's department refused to listen and do a job. They rushed to file these charges without knocking on the door of the neighbors," Kraut said.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Arens said that investigators had "no evidence" that the crash stemmed from a road-rage incident.

At the news conference, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said Bohm was allegedly traveling at 104 mph in a 45 mph zone "when he lost control of his BMW."

Kraut is also challenging that claim.

"The evidence clearly shows that didn't happen," Kraut said. "The max it was, according to witness testimony, my client's statement, and the black box inside the BMW was at maximum, 70 mph."

The judge said since it's just been 24 hours after Bohm's arraignment, he could not make a rushed determination for bail.

He also said the victims' families should be notified.

MORE COVERAGE | PCH crash victims, all sorority sisters, honored during Pepperdine prayer service

A prayer service was held Thursday morning as Pepperdine University mourns the loss of four students who were killed in a crash on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Bohm was released to allow detectives to gather more evidence, authorities said. He was re-arrested Tuesday. His bail was lowered from $8 million to $4 million on Wednesday.

Kraut added that given his client made it clear to investigators that he was being chased when crash happened, his bail should be less than $4 million and his client should not be facing murder charges.

If convicted as charged, Bohm could face multiple life sentences, the district attorney's office said.

The victims were identified as Niamh Rolston, 20, Peyton Stewart, 21, Asha Weir, 21, and Deslyn Williams, 21. They were all sorority sisters and seniors at Pepperdine's Seaver College of Liberal Arts.

All four will receive their degrees posthumously and a memorial will be placed on campus to honor them.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.