The former guitarist of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Josh Klinghofferpleaded not guilty to the charge of vehicular manslaughter in a California court on Thursday.
The incident took place in Alhambra, California, on March 18, when the pedestrian Israel Sanchez47, was hit by a car and later pronounced dead at a local hospital from blunt force trauma.
Klinghoffer, who has also played with Pearl Jam, Jane’s Addiction, Iggy Pop and Morrisseypleaded not guilty through his attorney Blair Berk to the charge of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. The criminal case will return to court on October 31.
What the lawsuit against Josh Klinghoffer says
Additionally, Sanchez’s family has also sued Klinghoffer in a civil lawsuit for wrongful death and negligence for his alleged role in the man’s death. The lawsuit alleges that Kinghoffer was talking on the phone while driving an unmarked vehicle when the incident occurred, and maintains that video suggests he was “probably driving distracted”“, without braking or slowing down until after fatally hitting” Sánchez.
Rolling Stone magazine reports that a source with knowledge of the case says that “no criminal intent is alleged” in the civil action and that a review of the evidence established that “there was no telephone involved,” however this is disputed by an attorney representing Sánchez’s family, who claims that Klinghoffer “appears to be holding a telephone.”
“If they have exculpatory evidence, they have never presented it to us,” said attorney Grayson Yoder. “All I can see is what I see on the video. If you say you’re not on the phone, fine. But it’s noon, he’s entering an intersection and there are no brake lights on his vehicle, none, until a man is hit in the crosswalk. I’m skeptical of exculpatory evidence and I can’t speak to the DA and his charges, but at the end of the day, in broad daylight, he had many, many opportunities for this not to have happened. There is no other word for it than negligence. “We allege that it is gross negligence.”
The civil case, which seeks medical costs and damages for pain and suffering, has a hearing set for Oct. 18.
Andrew B. Brettler, Klinghoffer’s attorney, told Pitchfork in July: “It was a tragic accident. Josh immediately stopped, stopped the vehicle, called 911, and waited until the police and ambulance arrived. “He is cooperating fully with the trafficking investigation.”
Klinghoffer played guitar with the Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2009 to 2019, and in 2020, it was announced that he would be leaving the band.
Source: Ambito
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