A Malibu resident lost control of his car on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu Tuesday night, killing four people and injuring two others, with Pepperdine University saying their students were the likely victims.
The crash occurred at about 8:30 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
“Four female adults were pronounced deceased at the scene,” the county Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
Two others were taken to the hospital but there was no immediate word on their conditions.
The driver was identified as Fraser Michael Bohm, 22, of Malibu. Bohm was arrested for vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, but was subsequently released pending the results of the investigation.
According to Malibu-Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station Captain Jennifer Seetoo, Bohm was driving westbound when he lost control of his vehicle on the 21600 block of PCH and hit several parked cars that in turn, struck a group of young women who walking nearby. Four died at the scene and two others were transported to a nearby hospital.
Pepperdine University issued a statement Wednesday morning saying the accident may have involved their students.
“The University is aware of a fatal accident that occurred on Pacific Coast Highway yesterday, October 17, 2023. Following initial reports from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the University has reason to believe the four individuals were Seaver College Students,” said the school in a statement. “We continue to cooperate with law enforcement and care for loved ones affected by this tragic event. As we await further details from the investigation, we pray for our entire community. The University will provide updates as we receive additional information.”
PCH was closed in both directions from Carbon Canyon to Las Flores Canyon through about 7 a.m. Wednesday morning while officers worked the scene.
While preliminary information has said speed was a factor, the official cause of the crash remains under investigation.
At a press conference, Seetoo was passionate about the problem of speeding in Malibu. She cited Emily Shane and Kim Ellis as other victims of speeding deaths on the road in recent years.
She said part of the problem is education and bring awareness to the constant problems on the road.
“PCH is deadly, we’ve lost too many people on PCH,” she said.
However, Seetoo also said more needs to be done to clamp down on speeding by officials.
“Enforcement is an important piece and right now we’re looking at speed cameras,” she said referencing the recent passage of a state law that will allow six cities to test cameras in high accident areas. Locally, Los Angeles, Glendale and Long Beach will be part of the program.
“We have to look at law enforcement differently, we have to change with the times when technology is an option,” said Seetoo on Wednesday.
Local police said the road remains dangerous along the local stretch.
Lt. Erika Aklufi with the Santa Monica Police Department said unsafe speed a near universal factor in accidents and while the conditions change as the road passes through Santa Monica, PCH remains dangerous up to and during its transition into the 10 freeway.
“Speed is generally the prime causal factor,” she said. “That’s always been an issue on PCH. People drive way too fast.”
That danger often manifests in rollover accidents inside the McClure tunnel where speeding drivers fail to make the turn but it also becomes dangerous when cars turn into or exit beach parking lots.
Aklufi said speed is such a frequent cause because many drivers fail to adapt to the specific situation, regardless of the posted speed limit.
“When we say unsafe speed, that doesn’t mean exceeding the speed limit, that means they’re going too fast in that moment,” she said.
With additional reporting from the Associated Press.