What Really Happened in the Fraser Bohm Accident That Shook Malibu? Details

On the surface, it looked like another tragic crash on California’s Pacific Coast Highway. But when investigators pieced together what really happened, it wasn’t just another accident. It became a story of speed, privilege, and devastating loss.

The driver, 22-year-old Fraser Bohm, wasn’t famous, but his name has now become synonymous with one of Malibu’s worst traffic disasters. Four young women were killed that night, and prosecutors say Fraser was driving more than double the speed limit.

Now he’s facing four counts of murder, an extraordinary charge for a car crash that has raised questions about accountability, wealth, and justice in Los Angeles County.

According to Daily Mail, the crash happened on Oct. 17, 2023, along Pacific Coast Highway on a dangerous road locals call “Dead Man’s Curve.” Investigators say Fraser was behind the wheel of a BMW, driving westbound, when he lost control and slammed into three parked cars. The car accident killed four Pepperdine students walking nearby.

Data recovered from the car’s “black box” revealed Fraser had accelerated from 93 to 104 miles per hour just seconds before the crash. The posted speed limit was 45. Prosecutors argued that the sheer recklessness of that decision showed “implied malice,” meaning he knew the risk of killing someone and chose to drive that way anyway.

When his defense team asked the court to dismiss the murder charges, Judge Thomas Rubenson refused.

He said there was “sufficient evidence” to move forward, adding, “There is no doubt this man was driving extremely fast. The defendant knew how dangerous it was to drive at 100 miles per hour ... that his actions had a high degree of probability of causing death."

His attorneys maintain that the crash was not intentional and that another driver may have triggered it, but prosecutors say there’s no evidence of a road rage incident.

The victims were Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams. The girls were all seniors at Pepperdine University and members of the Alpha Phi sorority. They were walking along the highway near parked cars when the BMW hit them. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

The judge noted that Fraser's reckless driving "caused one driver who pulled up beside him at an earlier traffic light that night to tell him 'slow down before you hurt somebody.'"

Pepperdine University later awarded each student an honorary degree. The Malibu community has since rallied to demand new safety measures on the Pacific Coast Highway, where multiple fatal crashes occur each year. City officials have since proposed speed cameras, concrete barriers, and improved lighting to prevent similar disasters.

Four lives ended in seconds, and one young man’s life changed forever. Whether Fraser is ultimately found guilty of murder or a lesser charge, this tragedy has already left a lasting mark on Malibu. It serves as a tragically haunting reminder that one moment of recklessness can alter countless lives.