Current:Home > ScamsFour Pepperdine University students killed in crash on California highway, driver arrested -PureWealth Academy
Four Pepperdine University students killed in crash on California highway, driver arrested
View
Date:2025-04-11 23:32:44
Four college students at Pepperdine University in Malibu were killed Tuesday and two others were injured when a car careened into them as they stood along the Pacific Coast Highway, officials said.
The driver, identified as 22-year-old Frazier M. Bohm, was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter after it appeared he had lost control of his car around 8:30 p.m. local time, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Sheriff’s Capt. Jennifer Seetoo said at a news conference Wednesday morning that Bohm has minor injuries and has been released as the investigation is being conducted.
The four women who were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash were identified as students at the nearby Pepperdine University, a private Christian university overlooking the Pacific Coast Highway. The school later identified the victims in a statement as Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams, all of whom were seniors.
Two others were taken to a hospital after the crash, but there was no word yet on their conditions, according to the Associated Press.
Joran van der Sloot:Suspect confesses to 2005 murder of Natalee Holloway in Aruba
Pepperdine plans prayer service after 'unimaginable tragedy'
Pepperdine President Jim Gash lamented in a letter to the university community the "devastating" toll the "unimaginable tragedy" would have on the small university campus.
“To the students who loved, lived with, and were in community with the departed members of our Pepperdine family, my heart is broken with yours,” Gash said. “I join you in your grief as we process this profound loss."
The university was planning a prayer service for Thursday open to students and staff to remember and honor the women, who attended the university’s Seaver College of Liberal Arts.
The university is also planning memorial services with the families, according to its statement.
New Orleans:Father arrested in connection to house fire that killed 3 children
Investigators believe speed was a factor in crash
Investigators believe Bohm was driving a dark colored BMW westbound at a high rate of speed when he lost control and slammed into three parked vehicles, which then crashed into a group of nearby pedestrians.
A statement on Facebook from the city of Malibu on Wednesday cited a “speeding motorist” as the cause of the deadly crash, which occurred about 25 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.
Speeding vehicles on the 21-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway running through Malibu is an ongoing concern for law enforcement, Seetoo said, noting the number of fatal crashes that have occurred throughout the years on the road.
“We need to do something different,” Seetoo said. “We’ve got to work together as a community; there's too many people on this stretch of the highway that have been killed.”
Contributing: The Associated Press
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]
veryGood! (765)
Related
- $1 Frostys: Wendy's celebrates end of summer with sweet deal
- Jenn Sterger comments on Brett Favre's diagnosis: 'Karma never forgets an address'
- Aging and ailing, ‘Message Tree’ at Woodstock concert site is reluctantly cut down
- Meta unveils cheaper VR headset, AI updates and shows off prototype for holographic AR glasses
- Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
- It’s time to roll up sleeves for new COVID, flu shots
- Kentucky sheriff charged with fatally shooting a judge pleads not guilty in first court appearance
- Bridgerton Ball in Detroit Compared to Willy's Chocolate Experience Over Scam Fan Event
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- Evacuation order remains in effect for Ohio town where dangerous chemical leak occurred
Ranking
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Dancing With the Stars’ Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber Have Cheeky Response to Romance Rumors
- You’ll Bend and Snap Over Reese Witherspoon’s Legally Blonde Prequel Announcement
- The Latest: Candidates will try to counter criticisms of them in dueling speeches
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- It's Banned Books Week: Most challenged titles and how publishers are pushing back
- Mandy Moore Gives Birth, Welcomes Baby No. 3 With Taylor Goldsmith
- Resentencing for Lee Malvo postponed in Maryland after Virginia says he can’t attend in person
Recommendation
Bodycam footage shows high
The Lainey Wilson x Wrangler Collab Delivers Grit, Grace & Iconic Country Vibes - Shop the Collection Now
WNBA playoff games today: What to know for Sun vs. Fever, Lynx vs. Mercury on Wednesday
Judge lets over 8,000 Catholic employers deny worker protections for abortion and fertility care
Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
Demi Lovato doesn’t remember much of her time on Disney Channel. It's called dissociation.
The northern lights might again be visible in the US as solar activity increases
The Lainey Wilson x Wrangler Collab Delivers Grit, Grace & Iconic Country Vibes - Shop the Collection Now