Pepperdine honors PCH crash victims in emotional vigil service
Pepperdine holds vigil for students killed in PCH crash
The Malibu community continues to grieve after four college seniors at Pepperdine University were killed in a devastating crash on Pacific Coast Highway. The students were identified as Asha Weir, Niamh Rolston, Deslyn Williams, and Peyton Stewart.
MALIBU, Calif. - The Malibu community continues to grieve after four college seniors at Pepperdine University were killed in a devastating crash on Pacific Coast Highway.
On Thursday, Pepperdine held an emotional prayer service at Firestone Fieldhouse honoring the four victims, whom officials identified as Asha Weir, Niamh Rolston, Deslyn Williams, and Peyton Stewart. The four victims were also sorority sisters.
Rolston grew up in the greater Los Angeles area, while the other women were from out of state.
"I guess the thing we remember about Peyton is her kindness and her love," Barry Stewart told FOX 11 in a Zoom interview.
Investigators with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said on Tuesday around 8:30 p.m., the 22-year-old driver of a BMW, suspected of speeding, lost control of his vehicle and slammed into three parked cars before ricocheting and fatally striking the young women who were standing nearby.
The LASD said the driver, from Malibu, was initially booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. He was then released from custody Wednesday morning as jail records cite California Penal Code Section 849(b)-1. According to that law, a suspect can be released from custody if there are insufficient grounds for making a criminal complaint against the person arrested. Sheriff's officials said the investigation into the crash is ongoing.
Malibu residents said the crash happened along the stretch of the highway that’s often referred to as "Dead Man’s Curve." They said speeding is a major problem in the area, and they are asking city officials to do more to prevent something like this from happening again.
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- Malibu crash: 4 Pepperdine students killed on PCH identified
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Malibu Mayor Bruce Silverstein said he plans to meet with the California Highway Patrol and the LASD to see what can be done.
A memorial service commemorating the victims is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. Click here to watch the livestream of the service.