Ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers star swerves jailtime for running over & killing pedestrian but victim's family is still suing

The Irish Sun

29-05-2025

EX-HOT Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has evaded prison after accidentally crashing into and killing a pedestrian with his black SUV.
The victim's distraught family is still suing the musician who has also performed with Pearl Jam.
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Ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer accepted a plea deal following allegations he failed to yield while driving in 2024
Credit: Getty
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A grandfather, Israel Sanchez, was killed while walking on a crosswalk
Credit: Supplied
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Officials told the court that Klinghoffer, 45, was driving a black 2022 GMC Yukon when his vehicle struck Israel Sanchez, who was walking to the shops
Credit: Trial Lawyers for Justice
Klinghoffer, 45, had been facing one year behind bars after he fatally hit Israel Sanchez, who was on a crosswalk.
The grandfather, 47, who had been walking to the grocery store to buy ingredients to make soup, was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
The star had been driving an SUV and making a left turn in Alhambra, California, east of Los Angeles on March 18, 2024, when he crashed into Sanchez, officials told a court.
Klinghoffer was charged on August 29 with vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence, a misdemeanor that can bring a maximum of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
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He was not charged with having any violent intent, only with a failure to yield.
The musician pleaded no contest to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence.
The victim's only daughter burst into tears while she told Klinghoffer in court that he had caused her 'deep and lasting trauma."
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Los Angeles County Judge Rosa Fregoso sentenced him to one year of informal probation and 60 days of community labor.
Plus, Klinghoffer was ordered to complete a driver safety class and pay restitution - the sum of which will be decided at a later date.
Pearl Jam guitarist sued after 'fatally hitting a grandpa with his car'
He had been driving a black 2022 GMC Yukon at the time of the fatal crash, the court was told. Sanchez's cause of death was blunt force trauma.
A prosecutor warned the defendant about the dangers of distracted driving.
He was told, 'If you continue to drive while distracted, and as a result of your driving someone is killed, you can be charged with murder."
Klinghoffer replied that he understood.
His absence has left an irreversible void in our lives
Ashley Sanchez, victim's daughter
The dead man's daughter, Ashley Sanchez, burst into tears while telling the court about her beloved dad.
She said in her victim impact statement, "My father was an extraordinary grandfather to my [children].
'His absence has left an irreversible void in our lives.'
She also recalled him as the "heart" of the family, who had a "unique gift for soothing,' while his meals were "more than just food - they were expressions of love and care."
Speaking directly to Klinghoffer, Ashley added that the death of her dad had caused her 'deep and lasting trauma.'
It was also an 'avoidable loss that has shaken my family," she said.
CIVIL LAWSUIT
In July 2024, Ashley launched a lawsuit for wrongful death and negligence against the star.
According to legal filings, plaintiffs alleged Klinghoffer was driving a black SUV with no license plates and turned left at an intersection with a marked crosswalk.
The footage was obtained from a neighbor's Ring camera.
The lawsuit alleged Klinghoffer 'was likely driving while distracted' and 'made no braking or slowing motion until after he fatally struck.'
The civil case is set to be heard on July 1.
'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 in a news release last July.
'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," she alleged.
DAMAGES DENIED
In January, a judge denied the family's renewed attempt to seek damages in the lawsuit, Rolling Stone reported.
The judge ruled for a second time that the stated claims against Klinghoffer failed to rise to the level of 'willful and conscious disregard' for the safety of others, the outlet added.
Before touring with Pearl Jam, Klinghoffer rose to fame as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
In 2012, he and the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, making him one of the youngest inductees ever.
in 2019, he left the band to become a touring member of Pearl Jam and Jane's Addiction.
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Israel Sanchez, who died after being hit while walking in a crosswalk east of Los Angeles
Credit: Trial Lawyers for Justice
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Former Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer accepted a plea deal to avoid jail time
Credit: Getty