Josh Klinghoffer Pleads Not Guilty
Josh Klinghoffer entered a “not guilty” plea to a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge.
His lawyer, Blair Berk, represented him in court, and the charge is related to a crash that happened on March 18, 2024, in Alhambra, California. That day, his vehicle hit Israel Sanchez, who later died at the hospital from his injuries.
The family of Sanchez filed a lawsuit in July, accusing Klinghoffer of negligence and saying he was on his cellphone during the accident. They believe video footage suggests he was distracted and didn’t brake before hitting Sanchez.
A source told Rolling Stone there’s no evidence Klinghoffer used his phone during the crash. However, the family’s lawyer, Grayson Yoder, disagrees and claims video shows Klinghoffer holding a phone moments before the accident.
“If they have exculpatory evidence, it’s never been presented to us,” said Yoder. “All I can see is what I see on the video. If he says he’s not on his phone, fine. But it’s the middle of the day, he’s coming into an intersection and there are no brake lights on his vehicle, none, not until a man is hit in the crosswalk. I’m skeptical of exculpatory evidence, and I can’t speak to the DA and their charges, but at the end of the day, in broad daylight, he had many, many opportunities for this not to have happened. There’s no other word for it besides negligence. We allege that it’s gross negligence.”
Fans are left wondering how this will unfold.
Sanchez’s daughter, Ashley, expressed her grief after the hearing, saying, “I miss my dad. We’re seeking justice here. I don’t know why Josh is getting just a misdemeanor. It’s not okay. My father was a very great father.”
Klinghoffer has another court date on October 31 for the criminal case, and the civil case will be heard on October 18.
Klinghoffer’s team stated, “This was a tragic accident. 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.”
Known in the alt-rock scene, Klinghoffer joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2009 but left when John Frusciante returned in 2019. He is currently touring with Pearl Jam and also plays in his own band, Pluralone.
