Driver facing multiple charges for deadly Malibu crash pleads not guilty
The 22-year-old driver who allegedly crashed his car and killed four Pepperdine University students last week in Malibu has been charged with four counts of murder and four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter.
District Attorney George Gascón announced the charges Wednesday afternoon, saying the investigation revealed that Fraser Michael Bohm "knew his actions were dangerous to human life and deliberately acted with conscious disregard for human life."
The 22-year-old allegedly crashed into the four young women on the evening of Oct. 17 in the 21600 block of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Gascón said the suspect was allegedly speeding at 104 mph in a 45-mph zone along the highway. Bohm lost control of his BMW and plowed into three parked cars before killing the four sorority sisters.
Deputies originally arrested Bohm the same night of the crash on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter but released him due to insufficient evidence. Department officials said they diligently worked to gather enough evidence to file the maximum charges permitted under California law.
A week later, deputies again placed Bohm in custody and booked him for four counts of murder.
Bohm pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Wednesday. His attorney, Michael Kraut, claimed that the 22-year-old was a victim of a road rage incident and claimed that another driver ran Bohm off the road and into the women.
"We've actually been able to track down who this person is and the person admitted to a family member to driving him off the road," said Kraut.
A scheduled bail hearing on Thursday was pushed back to Monday, Oct. 30 as the judge said he needs more time to review the case. Kraut is asking for Bohm's bail to be reduced to $400,000, saying his client was the victim of road rage.
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The young women killed were all members of the Alpha Phi sorority at Pepperdine. University officials identified the college seniors as Asha Weir, Deslyn Williams, Niamh Rolston and Peyton Stewart.
The tragic crash renewed a push to implement new safety measures along the Pacific Coast highway.
