Alhambra, California
Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer was served with a wrongful death lawsuit on Wednesday, July 10, related to a fatal car accident in which he was involved.
The lawsuit charges Klinghoffer with negligence behind the wheel, resulting in the death of 47-year-old grandfather Israel Sanchez of California.
According to Rolling Stone, the lawsuit was filed this week at the Superior Court of the State of California on behalf of Sanchez’s daughter, Ashley.
The fatal accident took place in March, shortly before the guitarist went on the road as a session musician for Pearl Jam.
Klinghoffer is accused of being distracted by his cell phone while driving and striking Sanchez, who was in a crosswalk. The lawsuit claims that Klinghoffer was driving an SUV without license plates when he struck Sanchez, causing blunt-force trauma injuries.
“Guitarist Josh Klinghoffer in Las Vegas on March 12, 2023. Ethan Miller / Getty Images”
At the time of the accident, Sanchez was on his way to the grocery store to prepare food for his family. He succumbed to his injuries later that day.
The lawsuit further claims that the former RHCP member was not arrested after the accident and allegedly never reached out to Sanchez’s family. Sanchez’s daughter, Ashley, shared a statement about her father and the tragedy of his death.
“My dad was known for being a great chef, the most talented of his family, the greatest grandpa always full of love and joy,” Ashley said. “His smile was so infectious. His life was taken by a careless act of a person who didn’t bother to look where he was driving.”
The accident occurred in March 2024, shortly before Klinghoffer went on tour as a session musician for Pearl Jam.
The family’s attorney, Nick Rowley, commented on Klinghoffer’s alleged negligence and called for justice to be served.
“Mr. Klinghoffer should be arrested and prosecuted for homicide,” Rowley said. “We have a video of him on his cell phone at the time he hit and killed Israel Sanchez, a loving father, in a crosswalk.”
According to the outlet, Sanchez’s family is suing Klinghoffer for pain and suffering, medical costs, attorney’s fees, and more. They are also requesting a jury trial.
Klinghoffer’s attorney responded to the lawsuit, calling the incident a “tragic accident.”
“After which, 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,” the guitarist’s attorney said.
For more details, visit the original article on nbcnews.
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The Ledger Law Firm has expertise in handling such cases. If you or your loved ones have been affected, please contact us at our California Branch. We treat our clients as humans and do everything to help them get the best possible outcome.
