Prosecutors in the trial of Fraser Bohm, the 24-year-old accused of killing four Pepperdine University students in a 2023 crash on Malibu's Pacific Coast Highway, have introduced a new claim that he had a large canister of nitrous oxide on his lap at the time of the collision. The revelation, disclosed at a pre-trial hearing, led a judge to postpone the trial so Bohm's defence could investigate the allegation, delaying proceedings that had been due to start the following week.

Bohm has pleaded not guilty to four counts of second-degree murder and four of vehicular manslaughter over the deaths of Niamh Rolston, 20, Asha Weir, 21, Peyton Stewart, 21, and Deslyn Williams, 21, who were struck while walking near parked cars on 17 October 2023. His BMW's black box showed he accelerated from 93mph to 104mph in the 45mph zone just seconds before impact. Prosecutors say a 10-12lb nitrous oxide canister found in the wrecked car will feature in their case, though a deputy district attorney clarified they will argue only that possessing it distracted his driving, not that he was inhaling it at the time — a distinction the judge said he would strictly enforce. The trial has now been rescheduled for 1 December, with Bohm's lawyers continuing to argue the crash followed a road-rage incident rather than reckless intent.