Judge maintains murder charges despite requests.

California Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss Murder Charges in Deadly Crash

A judge in California has turned down a request to drop murder charges against a driver linked to the deaths of four Pepperdine University students. The court found that the driver understood the risks associated with driving at such high speeds.

The driver, Fraser Bohm, was 22 during the tragic incident in 2023. He faces charges related to the deaths of four sorority students: Niamh Rolston, 20, Peyton Stewart, 21, Asha Weir, 21, and Deslyn Williams, 21.

Bohm was driving his parents’ BMW at over 160 mph on a section of the Pacific Coast Highway known as “Dead Man’s Curve.” His car collided with a parked vehicle, which subsequently struck the four young women, leading to their deaths.

His defense team argued for the dismissal of the murder charge, claiming Bohm should not face criminal responsibility because he lost control of the vehicle.

During a court session on Monday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Thomas Rubinson denied the motion as Bohm sat silently beside his attorney, Alan Jackson.

“Speed cannot be treated as malicious,” Jackson stated in court.

He further contended that Bohm should not be charged with murder since, while a tragedy unfolded, “tragedy and murder are not the same thing.” Jackson insisted his client was unaware that his driving could lead to such a fatal outcome.

Judge Rubinson disagreed with this perspective.

“Everyone agrees that speeding is dangerous,” Jackson acknowledged.

Rubinson added, “Can we agree that the faster you drive, the more likely you are to cause a fatal accident?” He highlighted the fact that Bohm was driving at an extremely high speed, suggesting he was going nearly 100 miles per hour or more.