Families, students and Malibu neighbors packed the Van Nuys courtroom for the ruling.
VAN NUYS, Calif. — A judge on Monday denied a motion to dismiss four murder charges against Fraser Michael Bohm, keeping alive a prosecution stemming from a high-speed crash on Pacific Coast Highway that killed four Pepperdine University students on Oct. 17, 2023.
The denial marks a critical procedural step in a case that has galvanized Pepperdine and renewed attention on pedestrian safety along Malibu’s shoreline highway. Prosecutors say onboard data show Bohm accelerated past 100 mph in a 45 mph zone before colliding with parked cars that then hit the students standing on the shoulder. Defense lawyers argued the facts amount to manslaughter and that “speed alone” cannot prove implied malice. The judge concluded a jury should weigh the driver’s speed, familiarity with the road and nighttime conditions near a curve locally nicknamed for its danger.
According to investigators, the crash unfolded just before 9 p.m. as beach traffic thinned and night set in. The victims—seniors Niamh Rolston, 20, Peyton Stewart, 21, Asha Weir, 21, and Deslyn Williams, 21—had exited a vehicle near the curb when Bohm’s BMW struck three parked cars; the chain reaction killed all four at the scene. In court, defense attorney Alan Jackson told the judge, “Tragedy doesn’t create murder,” insisting the law reserves implied malice for stronger proof than speed. Judge Thomas Rubinson said the record showed more than speed, citing the driver’s own statements about knowing the bend and the risks pedestrians face there at night.
Prosecutors said stability control activated near 93 mph and the vehicle still gained speed to roughly 104 mph. They argued the driver’s knowledge—of the curve, parked cars, and foot traffic—supports a finding that he consciously disregarded a deadly risk. The defense said Bohm was sober, had no prior DUI or reckless history, and lost control in a moment that cannot be equated with malice. Prosecutors also said there is no supporting evidence that a road-rage chase preceded the crash, a claim the judge called unproven in the record.
On campus, Pepperdine administrators honored the victims—members of Alpha Phi—with posthumous degrees and memorials, while Malibu residents pressed authorities for changes along the corridor. The curve where the collision occurred has long drawn complaints about narrow shoulders and nighttime visibility. After the crash, sheriff’s patrols increased along the western stretches of PCH, and transportation officials evaluated signage, enforcement zones and curb space near popular beach access points. Residents interviewed outside court said the hearing brought back memories of sirens and a miles-long closure the night of the crash.
With dismissal denied, the case returns in January for a scheduling conference to set a trial date. Bohm remains free on bond while lawyers prepare motions over vehicle data, witness lists and potential expert testimony. The defense could seek limited appellate review of Monday’s ruling. If a courtroom opens on the anticipated timeline, a trial could begin later in 2025 after discovery disputes and pretrial hearings are resolved.
Some who came to court carried flowers and photos, offering brief remarks before leaving. “We’re grateful the case moves forward,” one supporter said, adding that families want proceedings “to run their course.” A Malibu café owner who watched from the gallery said the hearing felt “quiet and tense,” and that neighbors “still hug the guardrail” when parking at night near the curve.
The murder counts remain in place as of Wednesday, and the case is set to return to court in mid-January to determine a trial schedule.
Author note: Last updated November 13, 2025.