A reckless millionaire’s son has left four students dead in a horror crash at almost 170 km/h on a winding road. His BMW crashed into parked cars and mowed down four students. Niamh (20), Peyton (21), Asha (21) and Deslyn (21) died at the scene, while the driver got out of his car unharmed.
Pepperdine University in Malibu, a suburb of Los Angeles, is in deep mourning. “One of life’s greatest mysteries is when and why our time on this earth ends,” reads a sentence in a statement in which the university expresses its condolences to the relatives. However, the circumstances of the tragedy, which happened on October 17, seem quite clear.
Investigation showed that millionaire’s son Fraser Bohm (22) was driving his red BMW far too fast. He is said to have raced down the winding Pacific Coast Highway at 167 km/h (104 miles per hour), on a stretch of road where the speed limit was 72 km/h (45 miles per hour).
He crashed into parked cars before crashing and mowing down four young ladies walking off the road near a student house. The four women died on the spot.
Lack of evidence
Fraser Bohm (22) crawled out of his battered BMW almost unscathed. He was immediately tackled to the ground by witnesses. The police arrested him and charged him with manslaughter by gross negligence, but had to release him afterwards due to lack of evidence.
Birthday gift
The reckless driver, Fraser Bohm (22), is blond and 1.80 meters tall, and known as a former popular baseball player. He is the youngest son from a very wealthy family and has two older sisters aged 24 and 25. His family lives in a lavish $8.8 million estate on a cliff in Malibu.
Fraser Bohm (22) reportedly received the BMW for his 18th birthday. The car was paid for by his parents. His father (59) is the CEO of a medical company in Palo Alto, close to the famous Silicon Valley, where many tech companies are based. His mother is a photographer.
Accused of murder
After his release, investigators conducted additional investigations. According to a toxicology study, alcohol did not play a role in the accident. Yet the millionaire’s son was arrested again on October 24 and charged with murder based on a speed analysis and a search of his home.
“Investigation revealed that the suspect knew that his actions endangered human life and that he deliberately acted with a conscious disregard for human life,” the prosecutor said. Bail was set at $8 million, which was later lowered to $4 million.
Pursuit
The 22-year-old has now appeared in court and has pleaded not guilty. He claims the tragedy was caused because he was being chased. According to his lawyer, Fraser Bohm, 22, was texting at the traffic lights when another driver started yelling at him and then gave chase. The defense attorney emphasized in court that Bohm has no criminal record and has never even received a traffic fine.
Meanwhile, there is great dismay at Pepperdine University in Malibu. Niamh Rolston (20), Peyton Stewart (21), Asha Weir (21) and Deslyn Williams (21) would normally graduate next spring. “They leave an unforgettable impact on the campus,” the university said.
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