Josh Klinghoffer, Pearl Jam’s Touring Guitarist, Charged With Vehicular Manslaughter

Josh Klinghoffer, the former guitarist in Red Hot Chili Peppers and current touring member of Pearl Jam, is facing a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter. Klinghoffer is scheduled to be arraigned in a California court on Thursday, where he will be officially charged with vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. The charge is tied to a car accident that took place in Alhambra, California, back on March 18th, 2024. Klinghoffer struck 47-year-old pedestrian Israel Sanchez, who was walking in a crosswalk as he was hit from behind by the musician’s SUV. After being transported to a local hospital, Sanchez was pronounced dead. Sanchez’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Klinghoffer in July, claiming that he was distracted while driving. Klinghoffer’s attorney Andrew Brettler has stated that, “this was a tragic accident,” and his client “has fully cooperated with authorities throughout the investigation.” (Consequence of Sound)