Fraser Bohm posts $4 million bail 

A young Malibu man charged in the deaths of four Pepperdine students was released on bond on Oct. 27. 

Fraser Bohm was able to post a $4 million bond that had been lowered from $8 million. By posting the bond on a Friday, the 22-year-old was able to remain out of custody over the weekend, making his bail reduction hearing set for Monday, Oct. 30, unnecessary. His attorney, Michael Kraut, was set to appear in court to plea for a bail of $400,000.

Bohm faces four counts of murder in the deaths of Pepperdine seniors and sorority sisters Niamh Rolston, 20, Peyton Stewart, 21, Asha Weir, 21, and Deslyn Williams, 21.

All were students at Seaver College. The four women were hit Oct. 17 when a car driven by Bohm on Pacific Coast Highway careened into parked cars, which then struck the four students. On the evening of the accident, Bohm was initially arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, but he was quickly released from custody. Law enforcement officers said they needed time to investigate charges of speeding and to gather more evidence. Exactly one week after the deadly collision, Bohm was rearrested on stepped-up charges of murder and taken into custody.

At a press conference, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon said the revised charges against the Malibu resident stemmed from Bohm’s “complete disregard for the life of others.” Under California law, a murder charge does not require a specific intent to kill, but can include a “depraved indifference” to human life. Gascon claimed Bohm was driving at 104 miles an hour in a 45-mph zone.

Kraut disputes the circumstances of the crash. He claims Bohm was the victim of a road rage incident that began on PCH near Duke’s Restaurant. Kraut says there is security footage that corroborates his claim of another driver who clipped Bohm’s car and that he was going 75.

At a Malibu City Council meeting Oct. 23, more than two dozen frustrated and angry speakers pleaded for help from officials to make PCH safer and lowering the speed limit was a chief concern.

Safety on the PCH has been top of mind for Malibu residents for years and also a priority for Malibu’s highest-ranking local law enforcement official, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Capt. Jennifer Seetoo. Making PCH safer is not a new issue for the captain. In 2019, when Seetoo served as the LASD Malibu liaison she headed a task force that divided PCH into four sections with dedicated patrols. That summer, there were no fatalities reported. 

Seetoo confirmed Sunday a recent Los Angeles Times column by Mary McNamara that asserted Bohm was driving without a license was incorrect. Seetoo also wrote to The Malibu Times about her personal loss and determination to make PCH less dangerous:

“In 1997, my friend Kim Ellis, a Pepperdine student, and her friend Jeannine Gregory, were killed on PCH by a drunk driver. In 2010, Emily Shane was tragically killed as a pedestrian by a speeding car on PCH at Heathercliff. It seems almost every community within Malibu knows at least someone who has perished on PCH. And for decades, there has been demand for change. But unfortunately, not enough change has been made, and 53 people have been killed on our 21 miles of PCH in the last 10 years alone, most recently the 4 beautiful girls from Pepperdine. So, this time, let us not just demand change, lets create it. This is a multi-stakeholder issue, and we need pressure from you, the community, to ensure a sustained success.

“Let’s break the approach down to the ‘Three E’s’: Education, Enforcement and Engineering. We must educate everyone of the dangers of PCH: pedestrians, road racing, cyclists, drunk driving etc. We must increase enforcement with LASD and CHP to deter bad actors, including demanding immediate implementation of speed cameras. And we must pressure Caltrans to expedite significant engineering changes to re-envision how we look at, and drive on PCH.

“Let’s focus on these Three E’s to #FixPCH. Contact Governor Newsom, Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (and all our other elected officials) to request their support and to allow speed cameras. I am working with a grassroots team of Michel Shane, Chris Frost, Chris Wizner, Dermot Stoker, Keegan Gibbs, Kathy Eldon, Tina Segel and Damian Kevitt of Streets Are for Everyone. We will not stop until we Fix PCH. Sign Michel Shane’s, Emily’s dad’s, petition on Change.org. 

“This time, let’s not just demand change, but create it. All of us working together have the power to save lives, so let’s not stop until we do.”

Recent incident spurs demand for safer roads and stricter enforcement

By Benjamin Marcus 

The Malibu Times Columnist 

In the wake of the tragic incident involving Pepperdine students Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, there may be a glimmer of hope for safer roads on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) through Malibu. While Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent approval of speed cameras in various California jurisdictions excludes Malibu, determined voices like Capt. Jennifer Seetoo of the Malib/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and The Malibu Times are steadfast in their pursuit of speed cameras for PCH. To underscore the urgency of the matter, let’s examine some key statistics that highlight the pressing need for enhanced safety measures along this notorious stretch of road.

Current Statistics 

Here are some numbers surrounding and supporting the need for speed cameras on Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu.

9: Number of speed cameras allowed for a population under 300,000 under AB645.

15 years to life: Sentence handed down to Sina Khankhanian, 26, for causing the death of Emily Shane on April 3, 2010.

49: Fatalities along PCH through Malibu from 2012-22 according to the CHP.

40-55 mph: Speed limit through Malibu.

$50: Fine for 11 to 15 mph over speed limit under AB 645.

$100: Fine for 16 to 25 mph over speed limit under AB 645.

$200: Fine for 26 mph over speed limit under AB 645.

$500: Fine for 100 mph over speed limit under AB 645.

70-104 mph: Estimated/rumored/reported speed of Fraser Bohm between the traffic light at Duke’s and the 21600 block of PCH — aka Dead Man’s Curve.

2,749: Feet from the traffic light at Las Flores and PCH to 21600 PCH, aka Dead Man’s Curve.

150: American cities using speed cameras, according to foxla.com.

62/9: California Assembly ayes and noes for AB 645 on Sept. 13. Nine non-voting.

29/6: California Senate ayes and noes for AB 645 on Sept. 12. Five non-voting.

170: Deaths and serious injuries to drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians between 2011 and 2023, according to the Los Angeles Times for Oct. 27

206: Number of American communities with speed camera programs. In 21 states plus DC. According to www.iihs.org/

$367: The fine for exceeding the posted speed limit by 16-25 MPH according to California Vehicle Code 22350. Also one DMV point on your license.

$490: Fine for exceeding the posted speed limit by 25 MPH or over according to California Vehicle Code 22350. Also one point from the DMV.

400: Accidents per year along PCH according to the film “21 Miles in Malibu”

488: Speed cameras in Morocco per scdb.info

1,224: Speed cameras in Austria per scdb.info.

1,552: Speed cameras in Spain per scdb.info 

1,672: Plugging “Malibu” into SWITRS Transportation Injury Mapping System, from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2022, there were 1,672 crashes, with 49 killed and 2,447 injured. Of those, 1,395 (83.4 percent) were on a state highway, with 118 pedestrians, 116 bikes, and 261 motorcycles involved.

1,680: Citations for red lights/speeding issued in Marion, Iowa, from September to October 2023 — a test case/model for Malibu

2: Red light/speed cameras at the intersection of state highways and local roads.

1: Mobile camera, used where needed, with the public alerted.

1,142: Citations for running red lights from two stationary cameras

538: Citations for excess speed from two stationary cameras

$50: Fine for 5 to 10 mph over speed limit

$75: Fine for 11 to 20 mph over speed limit

$100: Fine for 21 to 25 mph over speed limit

$250: Fine for 26 to 30 mph over speed limit

$500: Fine for 31 mph or more over speed limit

$100: Fine for running a red light

86 mph: Fastest speed recorded in a 55 mph zone..

120:  Repeat violators in one month.

15: Three-time violators in one month

4: Four-time violators in one month.

1: Person received six violations within a month

$141,100: Minimum revenue from two fixed speed/red light cameras for one month = (1142 x $100) + (538 x $50)

1894: The science fiction novel “A Journey in Other Worlds,” set in the year 2000, includes a description of “instantaneous kodaks” used by police to enforce speed limits.

1905: Popular Mechanics reported on a patent for a “Time Recording Camera for Trapping Motorists.”

1929: On June 29, the Malibu segment of the Roosevelt Highway completes a highway from Canada to Mexico. California Gov. C.C. Young cut the ceremonial ribbon flanked by Miss Mexico and Miss Canada, allowing a parade of 1,500 cars to experience 21 miles of scenic beauty.

1942: Beginning in May of 1942, wartime “dim out” laws imposed by Southern California civil defense prohibited driving on PCH through Malibu with headlights on. There were injuries and deaths until the dim out laws were repealed for Halloween of 1943.

1942: Driving under “dim out” laws on June 21, John P. Underwood drove off the road — possibly near Rincon — got stuck, wandered onto PCH and was struck by Esther Dominguez, the daughter of an LAPD lieutenant who was sneaking off to visit her secret husband in Santa Barbara. Underwood was killed instantly in a hit-and-run. Dominguez was acquitted on one misdemeanor hit-and-run count and was never charged with negligent homicide.

1985: “Romancing the Stone” screenwriter Diane Thomas is killed in a Porsche driven by her boyfriend at Zuma Beach.

1986/1987: The first speed camera systems in the U.S. were in Friendswood, Texas, in 1986 and La Marque, Texas, in 1987. Neither program lasted more than a few months before public pressure forced them to be dropped.

1992: Possibly suffering a stroke, actor Ben Vereen is seriously injured when he is struck by David Foster at 2 a.m. on PCH.

2010: On April 3, 13-year-old Emily Shane was killed by an erratic, disturbed Sina Khankhanian, 28, seen traveling at 70 mph before he struck her near PCH and Heathercliff Road.

2014: In The People vs. Goldsmith, the California Supreme court affirmed the Second District Court of Appeal ruling that red light camera enforcement photographs, video, and data imprinted on them were not hearsay. In March of 2009, Carmen Goldsmith was cited for failing to stop at a red traffic light at an intersection located in the City of Inglewood in violation of Vehicle Code section 21453. She was found guilty of the traffic infraction based on evidence of several photographs and a 12-second video. Goldsmith argued that Automated Traffic Enforcement Systems (ATES) were not legal, but her argument failed.

2019: The Texas Legislature passes a law banning the use of photographic traffic enforcement systems.

2019: On Sept. 27, 76-year-old Ronald Fuote of Calabasas was killed by an eastbound Mini Cooper while attempting to run across PCH at night.

10/13/2023: AB-645 approved by Governor Newsom.

2,183: Speed cameras in the United Arab Emirates per scdb.info

2,440: Speed cameras in Sweden per scdb.info

3,000: Citations for speeding along PCH since 2019 – LASD

3,696: Speed cameras in the United States per scdb.info

4,000: Collisions along PCH in Malibu from 2013-23. Primary causes are speeding and improper turns, ccording to Caltrans.

4,013: Speed cameras in the United Kingdom per scdb.info (Statista says 7,722 as of Sept. 23)

4,770: Speed cameras installed in the U.S. — and 3,342 Red Light Camera intersections — as of 10-25-2023 according to poi-factory.com

6,183: Citations issued along PCH since 2019 by the LA County Sheriff’s Department.

8,008: Speed cameras in Italy per scdb.info (Statista says 11,098 as of Sept. 23)

13,129: Speed cameras in Brazil per scdb.info

13,232: Speed cameras in the Russian Federation per scdb.info (Statista says 18,413 by Sept. 23)

18,000: Vehicles per day average daily traffic levels (ADTL) at PCH and Decker Canyon (Caltrans 1990)

47,000: vehicles per day (ADTL) at Las Flores Canyon Road (Caltrans 1990)

52,000: Vehicles per day (ADTL) at Cross Creek Road (Caltrans 1990)

56,000: vehicles per day (ADTL) at Topanga Canyon and PCG (Caltrans 1990) 

57,000: vehicles per day (ADTL) at PCH and Cross Creek Road (Caltrans 1990).

$414000 – $464000: Total cost per speed camera from one American manufacturer.

$9,000: One-time fee for connection and SIM card.

$10,000: Per site cost for permits trenching and pole installation for electricity for speed cameras.

$45,000: Cost to lease a speed camera per year.

$150,000-$200,000: One-time fee for site software for processing.

$200,000: Cost of a speed camera.

$4 million to $8 million: Bail for Fraser Bohm after his re-arrest for murder in the deaths of the four Pepperdine students.

$8 million: City of Malibu funds funds obligated towards future PCH safety improvement projects, per malibucity.org

$15 million: Cost of contract with the LA County Sheriff’s Department from the General Fund of $16.4 million dedicated to public safety, per malibucity.org

$39 million: City of Malibu money spent on traffic safety improvements on PCH, per malibucity.org

$59.2 million to $96 million: Increase in speed/red light/bus lane camera revenue in New York City from fiscal year 2012 to FY 2015.  

As the numbers clearly demonstrate, the situation on Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu demands immediate attention. With a staggering 49 fatalities, 170 serious injuries, and thousands of citations issued in recent years, the urgency of implementing speed cameras cannot be overstated. From the tragic loss of young lives to the alarming number of accidents and excessive speeds recorded, the need for change is undeniable. It is our hope that these statistics serve as a wake-up call, propelling both officials and citizens to work together tirelessly to make PCH safer for everyone who travels its winding path. The time for action is now.

City, district, and community leaders come to celebrate the beginning of construction

The new Malibu High School is underway. 

The public was invited to celebrate the beginning of construction of a new high-tech, educational space that will be for future high school students in Malibu. Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, City of Malibu staff, contractors, and those who were involved with the project all gathered at what is currently an empty dirt lot to celebrate with a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Oct. 30.

Malibu High School Principal Patrick Miller introduced the speakers, thanked everyone for attending the ceremony, but also acknowledged what used to take place on the property for 64 years.

“From 1955 [until] 2019, Juan Cabrillo Elementary School was home to generations of Malibu youth,” Miller said. “Like all elementary schools, Juan Cabrillo was where students made lifelong friendships, played games, learned to read, developed a range of school skills, it was school. Cabrillo was so much more, it was different, it was special, it was a true community, it was a place where kindness and empathy were as important as literacy numerously, it was a place where joy was cultivated, the arts, theatre, music, family involvement, special events, and traditions were all apart of it.

“So now we look more with the excitement and optimism of the new Malibu High School.”

The demolition of the former Juan Cabrillo facility cleared the way for construction. Additionally, all hazardous materials, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), that have been an issue for the past decade have been removed from the site.

City Manager Steve McClary and Councilmembers Paul Grisanti and Marianne Riggins were among those in attendance. 

“I’m looking forward to the memories our graduates will create in this new space, the new traditions our staff and families will develop in this new building, and to watching it, too, become a place not only of learning and innovation but also one of collaboration, community, joy, kindness, and empathy,” Miller said. 

The new building spans more than 70,000 square feet and will include general classrooms, art classrooms, special education facilities, science, technology, engineering, and math classrooms, campus food services (with separate spaces for the middle school), a library, and high school administrative offices.

Phase one of the new Malibu campus plan is designed to offer a 21st-century learning environment and provide progressive educational spaces for Malibu students. The building’s design harmonizes with Malibu’s coastal community aesthetics, and offers a more seamless blend into its beautiful surroundings. This phase will also lead to the separation of Malibu Middle School from the high school. 

Students will have access to an adaptable, spacious, light-filled, double-height commons area that opens to the outdoors, encouraging social connection, dining, collaboration, and private study. The innovative design incorporates concrete and copper-clad walls that draw inspiration from the natural surroundings, fostering a strong connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Photovoltaic panels on the overhead canopy will provide both shade for students and contribute to energy conservation.

SMMUSD Chief Operations Officer Carey Upton said they will be restoring the environmentally sensitive habitat area but also shared the challenges the project overcame.

“We are going to be restoring that and bringing it back in a few different phases, both to be used and experienced by our community but also be used by our students as a teaching and learning facility,” Upton said. “Getting here was a challenge, I remember as we had when we had our first meeting, which was around the first few days of the Woolsey Fire, and just before the election in 2018 that passed Measure M, and it was a start. Through that, we developed the campus plan and started designing and developing the first building in this first phase.”

Malibu board member Stacy Rouse acknowledged the other board members but asked everyone to take a moment to recognize this moment.

“This does not happen without community not one of us can do it alone and we have the experience, the bumps and the bruises to prove it,” Rouse said. “We are here, we’re not done yet, [but] I think this is a really big deal, this is just incredible.”

SMMUSD Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton said the new school will provide an environment for students to learn, grow, and feel safe with a sense of belonging.

“I want to say cheers to this community for making this happen,” Shelton said. “I think oftentimes, kids come into a space and don’t know where they fit — I know that we will build a school where they will know where they fit.”

Approved by Malibu voters in 2018, the project is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2025. Phase 1 of construction is estimated to cost $110 million. NAC Architecture is collaborating with Koning Eizenberg Architecture, and C.W. Driver Companies is the contractor overseeing the project.

“Thank you again for the ongoing support; without the support of the community, we would not be here today,” Shelton said. “Standing in front of what will be a new and amazing facility for our students. We will have a future generation that will graduate from the future high school that sits right here, that’s something to cheer about. Let’s continue to do what’s right for our students.”

‘Remember for every mother there’s a child and a kid who loves his mom’

The surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and ensuing war with Palestinian terrorist groups led by Hamas has been most unsettling to a local Malibu businessman. Rafi Anteby, who was born and raised in Israel, owns and operates the wellness/workspace Rafi Lounge in mid-Malibu. 

Anteby personally knows victims of the conflict. 

“If you are from Israel there is no escape from knowing somebody who got affected by this current war,” he said. “In perspective, when you look at the numbers, it is 10 times bigger than the twin towers horrific event because over 1,300 people died. About 200 people have been kidnapped. I know personally a few friends whose wives and kids got kidnapped. Some died.” Anteby said he’s been talking to his friends in Israel on an “hourly basis.”

With a philosophy of “wellness and world peace,” Anteby said, “I want to make it clear, over time I have donated money to everybody: Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddhists. My best friend is Muslim. I even donated some money to the Palestinian people. I truly believe that everybody deserves nothing but a good life and good love around them.

“I want to point out what happened. The pictures and videos I’ve seen personally, once you’ve seen something, you can never unsee it; once heard you can never unhear it.

Anteby doesn’t expect the conflict to die down anytime soon.

“Israel suffered casualties and terror like never before. They have to go and retrieve those hostages and at the same time remove that negative that it should never occur again. Israel has told the Palestinian people as hard as it seems ‘pick up your things and leave your homes, there is no reason for you to stay. We will have to go inside because Hamas is hiding under your homes. We have to go through your homes to get to Hamas.’ Hamas said, ‘Don’t listen to the fake news. Israel is not coming in. It’s fake news.’ That is why the head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it is intending on a ground invasion of Gaza and anyone who stays there is subject to die.

“You must understand that Hamas is trying its best to use the Palestinian people as human shields. Those who choose to become a human shield are participating in those horrors. I think it’s clear what Hamas stands for after the horrific acts they did. 

From Malibu, Antelby said, “When it’s time to come back to Palestine or Gaza I think it’s time to really help them to create the life that they want. I think it will be Israel’s responsibility as much as they want to create the life for their people also to create the life for the international community as well. But now it’s time to eradicate these horrific things and whoever’s responsible for that has to go basically.

“This is a war that’s going to affect everybody around the world. It’s most important that the world be in prayer and compassion and rather than find revenge find peace and understanding with each other.”

When people ask the former IDF soldier how to help Israel Anteby answers, “Go help somebody in need next to you.” He hopes to start a ripple effect. 

“That’s what we call the Butterfly Effect, when the butterfly wings are moving in Shanghai, the wind will blow in Beijing,” he said. “When you start to do good deeds, good things will come and slowly we will create that ripple effect. That’s what I’m trying to convey here in Malibu.”

In the meantime, he says he continues to help families in Israel in any way he can. 

“Families who are missing their loved ones. I don’t wish it on anybody,” Antelby said. “It’s my obligation as a human being, as an Israeli, as Jewish, my obligation as Rafi. That’s what I’ll do.”  

At the same time to those who’ve asked him to share videos, he says, “No. If I send them to you, you will never be the same. I will send the message that compassion is above all and good versus evil is above all.”

Along with providing moral support, Anteby is contemplating a trip to Israel: “If I need to be there I’ll go.”

Anteby conveyed his compassion for the people of Gaza saying, “I hope that all the innocent families of Palestine will do the right choice, evacuate and be OK. I hope they can rebuild their lives into its fullest. That’s what I wish for all mankind. Remember for every mother there’s a child and a kid who loves his mom. I hope these people will be able to rebuild and that healing will come unto this world so we can work out of love and compassion.”

Services for Geoffrey’s employee will be Oct. 30 at Funeraria Del Angel mortuary in Van Nuys

By Barbara Burke

Special to The Malibu Times

“To know him is to love him,” a co-worker of Luis “Fernando” Escobar Gonzalez said, as Geoffrey’s Restaurant’s tight knit family of workers and customers grieve the loss of Gonzalez, 30, who died in a one-vehicle collision shortly after midnight on Oct. 9. 

The accident occurred on Malibu Canyon Road about a mile north of Pacific Coast Highway, when Gonzalez’s northbound car rolled over, struck a utility pole, and went over an embankment, according to the Malibu-Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Albeit brief, Gonzalez’ life was full of love, laughter, and helping others. 

“I 100 percent want it to be known that he was loved by everyone,” Keeva Beck, Gonzalez’s coworker, said as he fought back tears. “He was the kind of person who would go out of his way to help anyone. We were like brothers for two years. Every moment you spent with him, you’d learn something new — he was full of knowledge and life and love — that’s who he was.”

Like many members of Gonzalez’s family, his uncle Jose “Guate” Gonzalez, a sous chef, has worked for years at Geoffrey’s. At the time of his passing, Fernando Gonzalez was a busboy at the restaurant. His cousins, who work as pastry chefs, were the last ones to see him alive.

“He was a happy boy and I was impressed how easy he got along when he came to America from our native Guatemala as a teenager,” Jose said. “He was a hard, hard worker and he leaves behind a 12-year-old brother, Christopher Gonzalez, and his mother. I helped to raise his mother, who is like my daughter, and I helped to raise Fernando, who was like my son.” 

Losing Fernando is like losing a piece of himself, Jose said, adding that it was “pure hell” when his mother and sister brought his clothes to the mortuary. 

Jeff Peterson, owner of Geoffrey’s, who himself started working at the restaurant as a busboy, remembered Fernando as “universally liked and very hardworking and as being what anyone would want as a team member.” Gonzalez and the members of his family who work at Geoffrey’s as well as his grieving coworkers, “all are what make Geoffrey’s function smoothly,” Peterson added. 

Popular with Geoffrey’s team as well as with customers, Gonzalez always shared his “highly contagious and fun laughter,” restaurant manager Sharon Amos said. 

Those who survive Gonzalez choose to remember the fun and joyful times.

“I taught him to surf recently and he was immediately taken with the sport,” co-worker Nick Simone said. “He progressed more quickly than any other student I’ve ever had because of his newfound passion for surfing and his motivation. He was thrilled to discover the whole, vibrant ocean life and he looked forward to visiting his home country and showing his dad how he learned to surf.”

Simone said whenever he surfs where he taught Gonzalez, “It’s like he is sitting there beside me. I went a couple of days ago and despite the surf forecasts the waves turned magical.”

Stephanie Ramirez, another coworker, said, “Fernando brought warmth to everyone. He always had the biggest smile and he took care of his little brother and his mom.”

To have known him, is to love him. 

Services for Gonzalez will be held Oct. 30 at Funeraria Del Angel mortuary, located at 5940 Van Nuys Blvd. in Van Nuys, from 5 to 9 p.m. Those wishing to donate and help Gonzalez’s survivors with funeral expenses, and the expensive process of expatriating his body to Guatemala can contribute at gofund.me/acb10d73.