Driver arrested after Pacific Coast Highway crash in Malibu kills 4 Pepperdine University students

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A 22-year-old motorist has been apprehended on charges of manslaughter following a tragic accident in Malibu that claimed the lives of four Pepperdine University students and left two other individuals injured. This unfortunate incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 8:30 p.m. along the Pacific Coast Highway, situated approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) to the east of Pepperdine University, as reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Regrettably, four young women lost their lives at the scene of the accident, while two others were transported to a hospital; however, as of Wednesday, there has been no update on their conditions. Initially, Pepperdine University conveyed through its official communication channel, X (formerly Twitter), that they believed the victims were students of the university’s Seaver College of Liberal Arts. Subsequently, Pepperdine’s President, Jim Gash, officially confirmed that the four individuals who tragically lost their lives were indeed students of the institution.

In a heartfelt message addressed to the university community, President Gash expressed, “Earlier today, we learned that four precious lives who brought joy and light to our campus were taken from us suddenly, tragically, and incomprehensibly.” The university later identified the victims as Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, all of whom were seniors.

The male driver responsible for the incident has been arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, as stated by sheriff’s Sgt. Maria Navarro. Investigators believe that he was operating a dark-colored BMW traveling westbound at a significantly high speed when he lost control of the vehicle. This led to a collision with at least three parked vehicles, which, in turn, resulted in the tragic collision with a group of pedestrians who were walking in the vicinity, approximately 25 miles (40 km) west of downtown Los Angeles.

“As we await further details from the investigation, we pray for our entire community,” the university conveyed through its official channels. To honor the memory of the victims, a campus prayer service has been scheduled for Thursday morning.

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• Driver arrested after Pacific Coast Highway crash in Malibu
• Pepperdine University
• Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
• Vehicular Manslaughter