Josh Klinghoffer, former guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has pleaded not guilty to a criminal manslaughter charge stemming from a tragic pedestrian accident.
The incident took place on March 18 in Alhambra, California, just east of Los Angeles. Klinghoffer, 44, was allegedly driving an SUV when he made a left turn and hit Israel Sanchez, 47, who was walking in a crosswalk.
Sanchez was later pronounced dead at the hospital. He had walked to a neighboring grocery store to get items for a family lunch.
On August 29, Klinghoffer was charged with vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Notably, he is not accused of any violent intent, merely of failing to surrender. Blair Berk, the guitarist’s attorney, filed the plea on his behalf in an Alhambra courthouse. In California, vehicular manslaughter can come from careless driving that causes death, with penalties changing depending on the circumstances.
The legal distinction between “gross negligence” and “ordinary negligence” is crucial in assessing the level of the accusations.
Following the hearing, Berk declined to comment.
In a separate legal action, Sanchez’s daughter named Klinghoffer in a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit in July.
The lawsuit claims Klinghoffer was driving without license plates and was using a phone at the time of the collision, although these allegations are not part of the criminal charges.
Sanchez’s family has been loud in their criticism of the police for failing to file charges more immediately after his death.
Be the first to comment