The trial for the driver accused of killing four Pepperdine University sorority sisters has been postponed following new allegations from prosecutors that a large canister of nitrous oxide was found in his vehicle at the time of the 2023 crash.
Fraser Bohm, 24, pleaded not guilty to four counts of second-degree murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in connection with the deaths of Niamh Rolston, 20, Asha Weir, 21, Peyton Stewart, 21, and Deslyn Williams, 21. The four women died on October 17, 2023, when Bohm's BMW crashed into three stationary vehicles in the parking lane of the Pacific Coast Highway, where the victims were walking.
Prosecutors claim the "black box" from Bohm's BMW shows he accelerated from 93 mph to 104 mph within 2.5 seconds before the collision. The speed limit on that stretch of the highway is 45 mph.
At a hearing Wednesday, prosecutors revealed a 10 to 12-pound canister of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, was found in Bohm's car. Deputy District Attorney Nathan Bartos stated that the prosecution intends to argue that Bohm's possession of the canister, not necessarily inhalation, distracted his driving. The judge, Thomas Rubinson, ruled that prosecutors would not be allowed to suggest to the jury that Bohm was inhaling the gas at the time of the crash.
Bohm's lead attorney, Alan Jackson, requested a delay to investigate the new claims and the canister's evidence chain of custody. Jackson argued that the canister was not mentioned at the preliminary hearing and that the defense needed time for their own experts to examine potential blood smears found on the tank, which could be from Bohm's injuries sustained in the crash.
Judge Rubinson granted the motion for a continuance, postponing the trial from its scheduled start date. A new trial date has been set for December 1. A pre-trial motion hearing is scheduled for September 9. Bohm remains free on $4 million bail.
Bohm's defense team has previously sought to dismiss the murder charges, arguing that prosecutors cannot prove the "malice" required for a murder conviction. The defense has maintained that the crash was a tragic accident possibly caused by a road rage incident, a claim the District Attorney's office disputes, stating there is no evidence to support it.
The families of the four victims have filed civil wrongful death lawsuits against Bohm and various government entities, alleging dangerous road design and inadequate safety standards on the Pacific Coast Highway. The four victims were seniors at Pepperdine's Seaver College of Liberal Arts and members of the Alpha Phi Sorority. They were posthumously awarded their degrees by the university.