Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer is set to be arraigned today, September 26, in a California courthouse for an accident that resulted in the death of a pedestrian on the afternoon of March 18.
Klinghoffer is expected to be charged with a misdemeanor of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. He will enter his plea at 8:30 a.m. PT at the Alhambra courthouse.
According to court records and evidence, the guitarist was driving a Black 2022 GMC Yukon down Meridian Avenue near West Main Street in Alhambra, when he made a left turn, allegedly while using his phone, and hit 47-year-old pedestrian Israel Sanchez at a crosswalk. Sanchez was struck in the back and was pronounced dead shortly after at Huntington Hospital.
Klinghoffer was sued by Sanchez's daughter, Ashley Sanchez, in a lawsuit accusing him of allegedly driving while using his phone, which led to him being unaware of his surroundings and failing to brake in time before the fatal collision.
Andrew Brettler, the guitarist's attorney, told TMZ that “it was a tragic accident.” “After Josh struck this pedestrian in the intersection, he immediately pulled over, stopped the car, called 911, and waited until police and the ambulance arrived. Obviously, he's cooperating with the police throughout the traffic investigation. This was purely a tragic accident.”
In further comments to KTLA 5 News, Brettler said, “It's clear from the evidence that Mr. Klinghoffer was not on the phone at the time of the accident.”
The Sanchez family lawyer, Nick Rowley, disputed Brettler's claims, asserting that there is video evidence of Klinghoffer driving while on his phone at the time he allegedly hit and killed Sanchez.
Rowley stated, “Israel Sanchez was on his way to the grocery store to make soup for his family and never came home. He did everything right, looking for oncoming traffic and abiding by pedestrian signage, but tragically Mr. Klinghoffer, in a rush and on his phone, hit him fatally from behind with a large SUV.”
The guitarist, who has also performed with Pearl Jam and Jane's Addiction, has been on release on his own recognizance.
