Fraser Michael Bohm, 24, is scheduled to stand trial on September 8 on charges related to a fatal October 2023 crash on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu that resulted in the deaths of four Pepperdine University sorority members. Bohm faces four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence following the incident in which he was allegedly driving at speeds exceeding 100 mph in a 45 mph zone.
According to prosecutors, Bohm lost control while navigating a section of the PCH known as Dead Man’s Curve, veering onto the shoulder of the westbound lane. His vehicle collided with three parked cars and four women walking nearby—sorority sisters Niamh Rolston, 20; Peyton Stewart, 21; Asha Weir, 21; and Deslyn Williams, 21—who later died. All four women were posthumously awarded their degrees.
The L.A. County district attorney’s office contends that Bohm was aware of the inherent dangers of excessive speed on that stretch of highway. During a prior hearing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Thomas Rubinson noted that Bohm told investigators he was intimately familiar with that portion of the PCH and referenced the deaths of two close friends in high-speed crashes. Prosecutors assert this knowledge contributed to an understanding of the potential life-threatening consequences of driving more than twice the legal speed limit.
Defense attorneys have challenged the murder charges, arguing that Bohm’s alleged speeding does not meet the legal threshold for implied malice, which requires conscious disregard for human life. They also maintained that he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash. On Monday, Bohm’s legal team further contended that prosecutors withheld key evidence involving Bohm’s cellphone data and vehicle speeds, allegations that Judge Rubinson rejected. The judge found the defense had access to sufficient evidence regarding traffic safety, accident history, and law enforcement activity along that segment of the PCH without needing to request additional data from prosecutors.
The deadly crash has reignited concerns over safety on this 21-mile stretch of PCH, which has seen 63 fatalities since 2010 and remains one of California’s most dangerous roads. In July 2024, a separate collision along the same route resulted in one death and two injuries. After the 2025 Palisades fire temporarily closed the highway—with strict speed restrictions implemented upon reopening—traffic fatalities declined, but they have since returned as the road resumed normal traffic volumes and speeding increased. A pedestrian fatality in February near Point Dume further underscores ongoing safety challenges in the area.