47-year-old Israel Sanchez died after being hit while walking in a crosswalk on the afternoon of 18 March.
Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer is facing a lawsuit for alleged wrongful death and negligence after a pedestrian was reportedly killed in a collision with his vehicle in Alhambra, California.
The lawsuit, filed by the family of the victim, Israel Sanchez, accuses Klinghoffer of driving a black SUV without license plates and using a cellphone when he turned left at an intersection and struck Sanchez in a marked crosswalk. The complaint alleges that Klinghoffer did not brake or slow down until after the collision, suggesting he may have been driving while distracted.
Video footage captured by a neighbor’s Ring camera reportedly shows Klinghoffer holding an object above the steering wheel just before the incident. The plaintiff’s attorney described the incident as a “reckless homicide” and criticized the lack of charges against Klinghoffer for the incident.
In response, Klinghoffer’s legal team described the collision as a “tragic accident,” stating that he immediately stopped the car, called 911, and cooperated with the police and ambulance services. Klinghoffer served as the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ guitarist from 2009 to 2019 and is currently on tour with the band Pearl Jam.
