Tragedy Strikes Again: 4 Pepperdine Students Join Malibu's Highway of Sorrow
A tragic twist of fate spared Bridget Thompson's life Had it not been for a late cheer team meeting, she would have been with her four best friends, en route to an off-campus mixer This heart-wrenching incident on Malibu's treacherous highway serves as a poignant reminder of the need for safer roads
Bridget Thompson believes she should have died.
Had it not been for a last-minute cheer team meeting on a Tuesday night in October, the senior at Pepperdine University would have been on her way to an off-campus mixer with her four best friends, three of whom were her roommates.
Thompson regretted not being present at the scene, where he typically would have been. He could almost visualize the girls in the car, enjoying music and singing as they headed there. Tragically, the girls were struck by a BMW travelling at 104 miles per hour while walking along the Pacific Coast Highway, resulting in the loss of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams - all of whom were seniors at Pepperdine.
Thompson was headed to meet her friends when she received a text from a friend informing her that they were missing. "I couldn't reach the area the police had blocked off," Thompson recalled. "I stayed outside until 3 a.m., calling every hospital in the area."
The following morning, a school email confirmed the news that "literally crushed my world," she expressed. "It's like there are four huge holes in my heart."
Deslyn was Thompson's "first friend" at Pepperdine; Niamh "was like my other half"; Asha was "wise beyond her years"; and Peyton was "the most selfless person I ever met," Thompson conveyed to CNN. "I cry all day... I truly feel alone because it's literally just me," she shared. "But I'm grateful that I am here to make a change for them."
Clockwise, from top left: Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Deslyn Williams and Asha Weir.
Pepperdine University reports that Thompson is one of the individuals advocating for safety improvements on the iconic Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. She participated in the dedication of a memorial along the scenic highway, which runs along the California coastline. The memorial consists of 58 white tires, each representing a life lost on the road in Malibu since 2010.
Thompson expressed, "If changes aren't implemented, I will feel as though my voice has not been heard, and my friends will feel unrecognized and unappreciated."
She is not the only one feeling this way. Emily Shane's family is questioning why 57 others have died since her tragic passing, as represented by the roadside memorial for victims.
Dead Mans Curve
Situated on a 21-mile stretch of shoreline bordered by the Santa Monica mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Malibu is a magnet for tourists and celebrities alike. The town has been home to some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Beyonce and Lady Gaga, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Roberts. Its pristine beaches and internationally renowned coastline have transformed the once small beach town of 10,000 residents into a bustling tourist destination visited by millions of people each year.
The PCH, also known as US 1, is not just Malibus main artery, its one of the only roads through town.
A memorial on the Pacific Coast Highway includes white tires to mark the 58 people killed in Malibu on the iconic road since 2010.
CNN
"The area includes Main Street and beach parking," explained Captain Jennifer Seetoo, a Los Angeles County Sheriff overseeing the Malibu region. "It's a walkway and you have people driving at dangerously high speeds."
The section of the highway where the Pepperdine students tragically lost their lives has been given the nickname "Dead Man's Curve."
Malibu resident and successful film producer Michel Shane expressed disbelief that an area known as Dead Mans Curve has not sparked outrage. This sentiment was shared in light of the tragic death of his 13-year-old daughter Emily, who was killed in 2010 along the PCH while waiting for her father to pick her up from a sleepover.
Shane remembered his brief journey to the meeting point vividly, as a car raced past him, speeding between lanes and even veering into oncoming traffic. "I thought, this guy is crazy," he stated. By the time Shane got there to pick her up, the authorities had already blocked off the area due to multiple 911 calls about the reckless driver.
Emily was struck with tremendous force, causing her to become airborne, collide with a pole, and then continue over a fence that ran alongside a road embankment.
Shane remembered, "About 10 or 15 minutes later, they came out and informed me that she had passed away. I always say that I was one person on April 3rd at 5:59 and a completely different person at six o'clock."
Shane had hoped that his daughter's tragic death would spark swift and substantial change, such as transforming the highway into a safer boulevard with sidewalks and a median. However, this transformation has not materialized.
"My daughter never got to graduate. She should be 26 years old," Shane lamented. "She never had the chance to build a career, find a husband, or make friends. We still don't have all the answers about what really happened to her."
He combined his grief and outraged with his career, producing the documentary "21 Miles in Malibu" in hopes of bringing awareness and education to the dangers of the PCH.
Emily Shane with father Michel
Courtesy Michel Shane
Shane is dedicated to presenting the documentary in schools in order to shift the perception of speed and fast cars, which he believes have been glorified in popular culture. Much like the successful campaigns for seatbelt use and against drunk driving, Shane aims to create a similar stigma around speeding.
"People may still drink and drive, but when Mothers Against Drunk Driving took action... suddenly, drunk driving became socially unacceptable," Shane explained. "Speeding needs to be approached in the same way."
Following Emily's death, a task force comprised of residents and community leaders was established. However, despite their efforts, 57 additional deaths have occurred, including those of four Pepperdine students.
Shane expressed his concerns, stating that it is only a matter of time before the next death occurs. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that current efforts are not sufficient to address the issue effectively.
"We've seen this before," noted Seetoo, the captain of the Sheriff's department. She highlighted that nine pedestrians had died in 2021. Seetoo mentioned that the public wasn't shocked because six of the victims were homeless. In response, the department distributed reflective strips for the homeless to wear at night.
Dont want them to die in vain
Sheriff deputies monitor the scene where four Pepperdine students were killed in a multi-vehicle crash in Malibu on October 18, 2023.
Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Caltrans, the California Department of Transportation, is responsible for managing the state highway. The organization has coordinated the traffic lights and is currently conducting a traffic safety analysis to assess potential road modifications such as adding bike lanes and improving pedestrian access. According to a statement provided to CNN by Caltrans.
However, there are individuals, such as Shane, who believe that more should be done to reduce speeding and deter drivers from traveling at high speeds.
Caltrans has announced that it will be conducting a speed zone survey within the next six months to determine if speeds can be lowered in pedestrian-heavy areas in accordance with state laws. In Malibu, the speed limit is currently 45, but excessive speeding is a widespread issue, with county data showing that out of 3,345 collisions in the past decade, 865 were attributed to excessive speed, making it the most common reason for crashes.
Seetoo, who was on the scene of the crash that claimed the lives of the Pepperdine students, mentioned that understaffing has made enforcement challenging. She strongly advocates for the installation of speed cameras and is convinced that if they had been in place, the four students would be alive today.
Asha Weir, Peyton Stewart, Bridget Thompson and Niamh Rolston
Courtesy Bridget Thompson
She said, "Looking into the eyes of Emily's parents that day was the worst of my career. I can't help but wonder if we could have prevented this if we had pushed harder or installed speed cameras." In honor of Emily, the intersection where she died was renamed "Emily Shane Way."
Ellen Shane, Emily's mother, expressed, "The Emily Shane way is about being kind and doing good for others." In honor of her daughter, she established a foundation that matches university students with younger children who need mentors or tutors. "I wanted to ensure her memory lived on, and it had to involve assisting others, as that was her legacy," Shane stated.
Bridget Thompson hopes to honor the memory of her departed friends by advocating for changes to the highway. Despite the challenges of graduating next year, she finds strength in their memory, stating, "I just really don't want them to die in vain." Seetoo is optimistic that by uniting as a community, they can prevent further tragedies on the highway.
In the meantime, a stack of white tires sits outside her office door, waiting to be added to the roadside memorial.
