A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has denied a motion to dismiss murder charges against a teenage driver in the October 2023 crash on the Pacific Coast Highway that resulted in the deaths of four Pepperdine University students. The ruling has brought renewed focus to road safety concerns in Malibu and the legal precedent for charging reckless drivers.
Story Highlights
- A judge ruled that Frasier Bohm, an 18-year-old from Los Angeles, will face murder charges for a high-speed crash that killed four female Pepperdine University students.
- The decision signals a legal stance that reckless driving can warrant grave legal consequences, regardless of a defendant’s background.
- The case is being watched by legal analysts for its potential to set a new precedent for charging drivers with murder, not just manslaughter, in extreme cases of vehicular fatality.
- Victims’ families and the Malibu community have called for greater road safety measures on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Los Angeles Judge Upholds Murder Charges in Fatal Malibu Crash
On November 8, 2023, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that Frasier Bohm, age 18, will stand trial on murder charges stemming from the fatal multi-vehicle collision that claimed the lives of four Pepperdine University students. The ruling denies the defense’s motion to dismiss the charges.
The crash occurred on October 17, 2023, on a segment of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. According to police reports, Mr. Bohm was allegedly driving a BMW at an estimated speed of 104 mph in a posted 45 mph zone. The vehicle struck and killed the four victims, all members of the same sorority at Pepperdine University.
Judge Thomas Rubinson denied a motion by Alan Jackson, defense attorney for Fraser Michael Bohm, to dismiss Bohm’s four murder charges. Rubinson said there was enough evidence to proceed with the murder charges. pic.twitter.com/oIKRAe8Uhu
— Pepperdine Graphic (@PeppGraphic) November 10, 2025
Legal Arguments Center on Malice vs. Manslaughter
The case involves an intensified legal debate over the appropriate charge for the incident. Mr. Bohm’s defense attorneys have argued that the facts of the case support a charge of vehicular manslaughter, not murder, and have called the prosecution’s immediate filing of murder charges “unprecedented.”
In contrast, prosecutors have asserted that Mr. Bohm’s conduct—allegedly driving at extreme speeds on a notoriously dangerous highway, possibly while distracted—constitutes “implied malice.” This legal standard suggests the driver acted with a conscious disregard for human life, an element required for a murder charge. Legal scholars have noted that vehicular murder charges are rare and that past fatal accidents on the Pacific Coast Highway have typically resulted in manslaughter charges. The case is therefore seen as a potential precedent for future prosecutions of egregious reckless driving incidents.
The tragedy has prompted renewed calls from Pepperdine University, residents, and commuters for stronger law enforcement and meaningful reforms to improve safety on the Pacific Coast Highway. Pre-trial proceedings are currently underway.
Watch the report: Judge dismisses motion to drop charges in PCH crash that killed 4 Pepperdine students
Sources:
Pepperdine University students crash: Malibu murder trial to move forward after judge refuses to drop charges against Frasier Bohm – CBS News Los Angeles
Defense seeks dismissal of murder charges in Malibu crash that killed 4 Pepperdine students – Fox LA
Judge refuses to drop murder charges involving 4 Pepperdine students killed on PCH – Los Angeles Times.
