Josh Klinghoffer, a former guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers, has been sentenced in his vehicular manslaughter case, and the musician will avoid jail time.
The case stems from a 2024 incident wherein Klinghoffer was driving his GMC Yukon in Alhambra, California, when he struck a pedestrian. The 47-year-old man, Israel Sanchez, later died from his injuries. Klinghoffer pleaded not guilty, via NME, to a vehicular manslaughter charge, but has now made a plea deal.
Stereogum reports that Klinghoffer has accepted the lesser charge of misdemeanour vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. This charge means that the musician will not serve any jail time. A County Judge in L.A. has sentenced Klinghoffer to 60 days of community service, as well as one year of informal probation.
Klinghoffer — who has also worked with bands like Pearl Jam and Jane’s Addiction — has also been ordered to complete a driver safety class and pay restitution. The fee amount will be determined at a later date.
Klinghoffer is being sued by the victim’s family
In addition to his criminal case, NME reports that Klinghoffer has been sued by Sanchez’s family for wrongful death. In their filing, the family alleges that the guitarist was “likely driving while distracted” by using his phone at the time of the accident. They also claimed that he “made no braking or slowing motion until after he fatally struck” Sanchez.
Subsequently, in a statement shared to Pitchfork, Klinghoffer’s lawyer, Andrew B. Brettler, described the incident as “a tragic accident. He went on to say, “After the car struck the pedestrian, Josh immediately pulled over, stopped the vehicle, called 911, and waited until police and the ambulance arrived. He is fully cooperating with the traffic investigation.”
The Sanchez Family Claims to Have “video” of Klinghoffer driving distracted
Around the same time, Sanchez family lawyer Nick Rowley claimed that they “have a video of him on his cell phone at the time he hit and killed Israel Sanchez,” while speaking to Variety.
“Israel Sanchez was on his way to the grocery store to make soup for his family and never came home,” Rowlet added. “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 loss and grief that the Sanchez family now faces is immense,” Rowley continued. “We will not stop until there is accountability and justice for Mr. Sanchez and his family.”
The next hearing is set for July 1.
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