MALIBU, CALIFORNIA: Fraser Bohm, who fatally crashed into four Pepperdine University sorority sisters, has been released from custody after being charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.
The 22-year-old was released from custody at around 7:20 am on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, nearly five hours after he was arrested for mowing and killing four innocent students.
Although his bond was set at $50,000, he was let go by police pending additional investigation, therefore, payment was not necessary for his release, as per Daily Mail.
He was freed on the basis that "the officer is satisfied that there are insufficient grounds for making a criminal complaint against the person arrested," as stated in the California Penal Code.
As per California state law, the ex-baseball player may spend two to six years in prison if found guilty of the felony offense. But if a prosecutor files it as a misdemeanor, the maximum penalty is one year in county jail.
How did Fraser Bohm kill four Pepperdine students?
Bohm was driving a dark gray four-door sedan when he lost control and mowed down the students at around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the 21600 block of Pacific Coast Highway.
At a press conference, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Captain Jennifer Seetoo stated that the suspect was traveling westbound when he “lost control of his vehicle and swerved towards the shoulder of the north side of Pacific Coast Highway,” hit three parked vehicles, and then struck and killed the victims.
The fourth victims, identified as Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, died at the scene, while two others were taken to a nearby hospital in unknown conditions.
Witnesses claimed that he had tried to flee the scene and students from the neighboring Pepperdine Sigma Chi fraternity had to "tackle down" and stop him.
After authorities performed a field sobriety test, Sheriff's Sgt Maria Navarro stated that alcohol was not thought to be a contributing factor.
Authorities have stated that they think speed had a role in the collision, even though the tragedy is still being investigated.
Who is Frasher Bohm?
Bohm, the 6'4", 190lbs BMW driver, was arrested two days after his 22nd birthday. Before graduation in 2020, he also attended the private, $31,250-per-year Oaks Christian High School north of Los Angeles, where he played baseball.
The school is also the same as the one attended by Lionel Richie's daughter Sofia Richie Grainge. Videos online showed the blond-haired baseball player pitching for his school team.
Bohm's extravagant lifestyle in Los Angeles was also depicted in photos acquired by DailyMail.com, which included flying on private jets, posing with celebrities, and attending swanky dinners.
His mother Brooke Bohm filed for divorce from his father Christopher in 2017, according to records from the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Following the devastating accident, Pepperdine University paid a heart-melting tribute to the four victims, saying “No day is more devastating to a tightly knit university community than the day that forces us to come together in grief and sorrow.”
“One of the greatest mysteries of life is when and why our time on this earth is cut short. In such times, we hold firm to our faith in the God who sustains and nourishes us even when -and especially when- we experience life’s most significant losses,” Pepperdine President Jim Gash said in a statement.
