Josh Klinghoffer — the former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist who has recently toured with Pearl Jam — has accepted a plea deal to avoid prison in a vehicular manslaughter case following allegations that his failure to yield resulted in him striking and killing a pedestrian last year.
As per Rolling Stone, the musician appeared in court in Alhambra, CA, yesterday (May 28) and entered a plea of no contest to misdemeanour vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. Los Angeles County Judge Rosa Fregoso sentenced Klinghoffer to one year of informal probation and 60 days of community service. He must also complete a driver safety class in addition to paying restitution to be determined at a later date.
On March 18, 2024, Klinghoffer hit 47-year-old pedestrian Israel Sanchez — later pronounced dead in hospital due to blunt force trauma — from behind at a crosswalk with his 2022 black GMC Yukon SUV. Last September, he pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanour charge of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence after Ashley Sanchez, the victim's only child, alleged in the lawsuit that distracted driving had likely caused the musician to fail to brake in time.
Crying as she delivered her victim impact statement to the court, Sanchez told Klinghoffer that his actions had caused her "deep and lasting trauma," calling the death of her father an "avoidable loss that has shaken my family."