Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has accepted a plea deal that will allow him to avoid jail time following a fatal accident in which he struck and killed a pedestrian last year.
Klinghoffer, who also tours with Pearl Jam, appeared in court in Alhambra, California on Wednesday where he pleaded no contest to misdemeanour vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence, according to Rolling Stone. The 45-year-old musician received a sentence of one year of informal probation and 60 days of community labour. Additionally, he must complete a driver safety class and pay restitution, with the amount to be determined at a later date.
The charges stem from an incident on 18th March 2024, when Klinghoffer, driving a black 2022 GMC Yukon, struck 47-year-old pedestrian Israel Sanchez in a crosswalk. Sanchez was later pronounced dead at a hospital, with blunt force trauma listed as the cause of death. Prosecutors filed the criminal charge against Klinghoffer in August 2024.
During the court proceedings, a prosecutor issued a stern warning to Klinghoffer regarding distracted driving, stating, “If you continue to drive while distracted, and as a result of your driving someone is killed, you can be charged with murder.” Klinghoffer acknowledged that he understood the warning.
The court heard an emotional victim impact statement from Ashley Sanchez, the deceased’s only daughter. Struggling through tears, she described her father as “the heart of our family” and praised his passion for cooking and painting, along with his “unique gift for soothing” his loved ones. “My father was an extraordinary grandfather to my children,” she said. “His absence has left an irreversible void in our lives.”
Addressing Klinghoffer directly, Ashley Sanchez stated that his actions had caused her “deep and lasting trauma” and referred to her father’s death as an “avoidable loss that has shaken my family.”
In July 2024, the Sanchez family filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against Klinghoffer, claiming he was using his mobile phone while driving a car without licence plates when the incident occurred. The lawsuit alleged Klinghoffer “was likely driving while distracted” and “made no braking or slowing motion until after he fatally struck.”
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In January, a judge denied the family’s renewed attempt to seek punitive damages, ruling for a second time that the claims against Klinghoffer did not constitute “willful and conscious disregard” for the safety of others. A hearing in the civil case is scheduled for 1st July.
