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

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Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Driver arrested for murder in crash that killed 4 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.

MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- A driver involved in a crash in Malibu that killed four Pepperdine University students has been re-arrested for four counts of murder, authorities said Tuesday.

Fraser Bohm, 22, was initially arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, but was released to allow detectives time to gather more evidence. He was re-arrested Tuesday and now faces four counts of murder, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. His bail was set at $8 million.

The deadly crash was reported last Tuesday evening in the 21600 block of Pacific Coast Highway. Investigators say Bohm lost control of his car and hit several parked cars, which crashed into the women. Two other people were injured in the incident.

"When a case is presented to the District Attorney's Office, you need to present supporting evidence for the specific charges being requested for filing within 48 hours," the Sheriff's Department said in a statement. "In this specific case, the evidence including toxicology, speed analysis, execution of search warrants, etc. was still pending and took additional time to collect."

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.

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.

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

An investigation is ongoing.