The man accused of crashing into four Pepperdine University students in his BMW in Malibu claims he was chased leading up to the horror crash.
Fraser Bohm, 22, was initially charged with vehicular manslaughter before being rearrested Tuesday on four murder charges for the deaths of Niamh Rolston, 20, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams, all 21.
During his sentencing hearing Wednesday, Bohm pleaded not guilty to the murder charges, claiming he tried to elude someone who was aggressively pursuing him, causing him to lose control of his 2016 BMW.
Bohm, who has no prior criminal record, saw his bail reduced from $8 million to $4 million during the hearing, which was attended by several family members who appeared to console each other as they left the courtroom.
The star baseball player reportedly lost control of his vehicle while driving along the Pacific Coast Highway on Oct. 17 — the night after his 22nd birthday — before colliding with parked vehicles as college students stood nearby.
All four were pronounced dead at the scene, and Bohm was initially released after being charged with gross vehicular manslaughter “to allow investigators time to gather the evidence necessary to secure the strongest criminal case and conviction,” officials said.
After the court proceedings concluded, Bohm’s family members, some of whom live with him in a lavish $8 million Malibu clifftop mansion, were seen huddled with their arms around each other as they left the courthouse.
Fraser Bohm, 22, who allegedly struck and killed four Pepperdine University seniors with his BMW in Malibu, was in court Wednesday after being charged with murder
Bohm’s family pictured leaving the courthouse on Wednesday, where his bail was reduced from $8 million to $4 million
The alleged killer’s relatives were seen huddled with their arms around each other after the 22-year-old appeared in court for the first time since the tragedy.
Niamh Ralston (left) was one of four Pepperdine University students killed when a BMW crashed into a parked car, hitting them in Malibu on Tuesday evening, while Peyton Stewart (right) recently completed a sought-after internship at TikTok.
Georgia native Desilyn Williams (left), pictured on her LinkedIn page, and Asha Weir (right) are scheduled to graduate from Seaver College of Liberal Arts in the spring
Tributes have poured in for the four Pepperdine seniors after they lost their lives on the dangerous stretch of road, which has developed a reputation as a dangerous highway and earned the nicknames ‘Blood Alley’ and ‘Dead Man’s Curve’.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound former high school athlete, who was not injured in the crash, allegedly rammed his BMW into a row of parked cars as students waited near a dorm in Pepperdine.
Witnesses claimed that Bohm attempted to flee the scene immediately after the collision before being apprehended by stunned onlookers.
Footage obtained by KTLA from the night of the crash showed a grim-faced Bohm being given a field sobriety test by police as the mangled remains of his red BMW were towed away.
In a news release after Bohm’s charges were escalated to murder, investigators said the development came after toxicology and speed analyzes were conducted and search warrants were issued.
Exclusive photos from DailyMail.com illustrate the dangers of the sharp bend where the crash occurred, as angry Malibu residents blasted city officials during a hostile town meeting Monday to demand safety improvements to the highway.
“How many more deaths before anything is done?” one tearful resident told the Malibu City Council during the meeting. The road has been the scene of 49 fatal collisions in the past decade.
The Pacific Coast Highway, the stretch of road where the horror accident occurred, has developed a reputation for being a dangerous stretch. In ten years, 49 people have died on the road
LR victims Asha Weir, Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart and Deslyn Williams are pictured enjoying a meal with friends just weeks before they were mowed down and murdered
Flowers were placed at the crash site for the four Pepperdine seniors who died
Traces of the accident can still be seen at the scene, including what appears to be blood on the wall
While it is unclear what Bohm does for a living now, video unearthed by DailyMail.com shows that he was a highly rated pitcher in high school and played for Oaks Christian School before graduating.
The $31,250-a-year private prep school near Los Angeles counts Sofia Richie and Mariel Hemingway’s model daughter Dree among its alumni.
DailyMail.com previously revealed that the speeding car that killed the four seniors was purchased by Bohm’s mother Brooke, 57, with a $25,000 deposit in 2017 – with the remaining installments paid by his father Chris, 59.
According to a settlement finalizing the couple’s divorce in 2018 and obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, the vehicle was given to Bohm on his 18th birthday.
The settlement also reveals details about his family’s lavish lifestyle — including the remote, Malibu-gated “estate” where Bohm’s mother ended up in the divorce.
His lavish estate is said to be located in a ‘celebrity enclave’ and includes a bespoke chef’s kitchen and terraced gardens.
The house was put up for sale in late September for $9,750,000, but within a week the price had been reduced to $8,795,000.
Bohm is the youngest of three siblings. His sisters Hunter, 25, and Haiden, 24, also live in the house, along with their photographer mother.
DailyMail.com previously revealed that the speeding car that killed the four seniors was purchased by Bohm’s mother Brooke, 57, with a $25,000 deposit in 2017 – with the remaining bill paid in installments by his father Christopher, 59
Bohm still lives at home on his $8.7 million Malibu gated “estate,” which was deeded to Bohm’s mother during his parents’ divorce
Sisters Haiden, 24, and Hunter, 25, also live in the family’s $8.7 million Malibu home with their photographer mother and former baseball star brother.
In a statement released Wednesday, Pepperdine President Jim Gash confirmed the identities of the four women and said he was left heartbroken by the accident.
“To the students who loved, lived with and had fellowship with the deceased members of our Pepperdine family, my heart is broken with yours,” the statement read.
“I sympathize with you in your grief as we process this profound loss.”
Vice President for Student Affairs Connie Horton added, “In this time of immeasurable grief and heartache, we stand together as a community and turn to our faith and to each other to find hope and healing in the midst of this tragedy.
“Each student who passed away brought a unique gift and spirit to the University, and we deeply regret the unfulfilled hopes and aspirations of our dear community members.”
A memorial service for all four victims was held Thursday morning at the school’s Malibu campus.