Trial date set for Fraser Bohm
By Judy Abel · Sun Jul 19 2026
Jury selection begins Sept. 8 in long-awaited trial over the 2023 crash that killed four Pepperdine seniors
Nearly three years after four Pepperdine University seniors were killed in a horrific crash on Pacific Coast Highway, a trial date has finally been set for the Malibu driver accused in their deaths. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Thomas Rubinson on July 1 ordered that jury selection in the case against Fraser Bohm will begin Sept. 8 at the Van Nuys Superior Court. The trial date comes just weeks before the third anniversary of the Oct. 17, 2023, crash that claimed the lives of Pepperdine seniors Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams.
The four students were walking along the side of Pacific Coast Highway when Bohm lost control of his BMW, sending the vehicle careening toward them. All four women were killed instantly.
Bohm, 23, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter. He remains free on $4 million bond.
Before the case reaches a jury, the defense is expected to make another attempt to have the murder charges dismissed. Judge Rubinson scheduled that motion to be heard July 27. An earlier motion seeking dismissal of the murder counts was denied.
The court also set Sept. 2 for pretrial evidentiary motions, when attorneys will argue what evidence and testimony should be presented to jurors during the trial.
Jury selection is expected to take approximately one week, with testimony and the remainder of the trial projected to last 16 court days.
Bohm appeared in court July 1, but was not accompanied by his lead attorney, Alan Jackson. Instead, he was represented by Jackson associates Jacqueline Sparagna and Evan Wolk. Jackson was in Massachusetts for proceedings involving another nationally known case. He represented Karen Read during her highly publicized murder trial, which ended in her acquittal, and is now handling her federal civil lawsuit alleging a culture of misogyny contributed to her prosecution.
Wednesday's hearing was brief and focused primarily on scheduling the remaining pretrial proceedings leading up to trial.
Prosecutors contend Bohm's alleged driving behavior demonstrated implied malice, supporting the murder charges in addition to vehicular manslaughter. Defense attorneys have argued the evidence does not meet the legal standard for murder and have sought to have those charges dismissed before trial.
Judge Rubinson previously rejected that argument, but the defense will have another opportunity to present its motion later this month.
If the murder charges remain in place, jurors will ultimately determine whether prosecutors have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Bohm's conduct constituted murder or whether the evidence supports lesser offenses.
The criminal case has remained closely followed in Malibu since the fatal collision shocked the community and devastated the Pepperdine campus.
The deaths of Rolston, Stewart, Weir, and Williams sparked an outpouring of grief from classmates, faculty members, and residents throughout Malibu. The crash also intensified long-standing concerns over safety on Pacific Coast Highway, where demands from residents have called for increased enforcement, traffic-calming measures, and infrastructure improvements. Since the collision, local officials, community advocates, and Caltrans have committed working toward safety enhancements.
With a trial date now on the calendar, the case appears poised to enter its final phase after nearly three years of legal proceedings. Bohm’s family, typically by his side at previous court proceedings, as well as the victims' families, members of the Pepperdine community, and Malibu residents are expected in court as the long-awaited trial gets underway.
Pepperdine alumna Bridget Thompson has emerged as one of the most visible voices honoring the memories of her four friends. A fellow sorority member who has attended every court hearing since the case began, Thompson said she will again be in the courtroom when the trial opens.
“Almost three years later, the reality of losing my four best friends still feels impossible to accept. I've spent years reliving the worst day of my life through hearings, delays, and uncertainty, all while carrying a grief that never goes away," Thompson said. "This trial date represents something I've waited nearly three years for: the opportunity for their voices to finally be heard in a courtroom. Nothing will ever bring them back or fill the emptiness they've left behind, but I pray this trial brings accountability and justice for the beautiful lives that were taken from us.
"I will continue to stand beside their families and fight for them because my best friends deserve to be remembered for who they were, not for what happened to them.”