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104 MPH Crash: Murder Trial for 4 Deaths
4 Sep
Summary
- Driver charged with murder for 104 mph crash killing four university students.
- Prosecutors argue implied malice; defense cites road rage incident.
- Case highlights rising murder charges in high-speed, non-DUI crashes.
A trial is set to begin on December 1 for Fraser Bohm, who is accused of second-degree murder after allegedly driving 104 mph in a 45 mph zone on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. The catastrophic crash on October 17, 2023, resulted in the deaths of four Pepperdine University seniors: Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams.
Prosecutors contend Bohm acted with "implied malice," aware of the deadly risks associated with his extreme speed, citing his own statements about the dangers of speed. His defense team argues that Bohm was reacting to a road rage incident and that the crash was an accident, not murder.
Bohm, now 24, faces life in prison if convicted of murder, or lesser charges of vehicular manslaughter. The case signifies a growing trend where prosecutors are pursuing murder charges in high-speed fatal crashes, even without alcohol or drug involvement, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as 'Watson murders' in California.
