Josh Klinghoffer pleads not guilty to vehicular manslaughter charge
Posted On
(Credit: Carlos Delgado)
After being formally charged with vehicular manslaughter on September 25th, following an incident in March, former Red Hot Chilli Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has pleaded not guilty to the charges at a California court.
The charges pertain to the events of March 18th, 2024. Klinghoffer sped through an intersection in Alhambra, California, striking a 47-year-old man, Israel Sanchez. At the time of the collision, no formal arrests were made, and Klinghoffer was reportedly the one to call emergency services. However, Sanchez was later pronounced dead after being rushed to a nearby hospital.
In a video presented to the court, Klinghoffer can allegedly be seen looking at his phone while driving, with no apparent signs of braking or slowing the car down until after fatally colliding with Sanchez. As a result, the family of the deceased has filed a civil lawsuit against the musician, alongside the criminal court proceedings, citing wrongful death and negligence.
Previously, Klinghoffer’s legal team claimed that the incident was a “tragic accident”, with no malicious intent or deliberate wrongdoing on the part of their client. The lawyers said in a statement, “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.”
On the other hand, the attorney for Sanchez, upon viewing the video allegedly showing Klinghoffer on his phone while driving, said, “Mr. Klinghoffer should be arrested and prosecuted for homicide. We have a video of him on his cell phone at the time he hit and killed Israel Sanchez, a loving father, in a crosswalk…We will not stop until there is accountability and justice for Mr. Sanchez and his family.”
Through his legal representative, Blair Berk, the former Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, and Iggy Pop guitarist submitted a not guilty plea for the misdemeanour charge of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. Now, the court proceedings are due to continue late next month, on October 31.
Klinghoffer first rose to prominence as a member of Red Hot Chilli Peppers, before the return of John Frusciante put an end to his time in the group. In more recent years, he has become a sought-after musician for the likes of Pearl Jam and Jane’s Addiction, along with the solo material of Eddie Vedder.
This ongoing court case, however, is likely to put a hold on his music career, at least for the time being.
[embedded content]
Related Topics
