By Shriya Kali Chittapuram
LOS ANGELES, CA– A lawsuit has been filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Josh Adam Klinghoffer, Pearl Jam touring guitarist and former guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers, alleging wrongful death and negligence for a fatal vehicular and pedestrian accident in Alhambra resulting in the death of 47-year-old Israel Sanchez.
According to the Trial Lawyers for Justice, the lawsuit pointed to video evidence suggesting Klinghoffer was on his cell phone just moments before he is alleged to have fatally struck Sanchez.
Despite all the evidence and involvement in the accident, available records and law enforcement sources revealed that the famous guitarist has not been arrested in connection with the fatal pedestrian collision.
Court documents from Trial Lawyers for Justice reveal that on March 18 Sanchez, while en route to a grocery store, was fatally struck by Klinghoffer’s vehicle. As per the video footage provided by TLJ, Sanchez stopped and looked both ways to ensure the path was clear, proceeding within a marked crosswalk on the westbound side of W. Main St.
Klinghoffer’s Black 2022 GMC Yukon struck him from behind, resulting in Sanchez’s death later that day at Huntington Hospital, according to the lawsuit.
“My dad was known for being a great chef, the most talented of his family, the greatest grandpa always full of love and joy,” shared Ashley Sanchez, Israel’s daughter. “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.”
“Mr. Klinghoffer should be arrested and prosecuted for homicide. 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,” stated Nick Rowley, a trial attorney and co-founder of Trial Lawyers for Justice.
“Israel Sanchez was on his way to the grocery store to make soup for his family and never came home. He did everything right, looking for oncoming traffic and abiding by pedestrian signage, but tragically Mr. Klinghoffer, in a rush and on his phone, hit him fatally from behind with a large SUV. The loss and grief that the Sanchez family now faces is immense. We will not stop until there is accountability and justice for Mr. Sanchez and his family,” continued Rowley.
Video footage of the incident provided by the TLJ showed Klinghoffer didn’t make any attempt to brake or slow down until after the collision, alleging distraction while driving. Moments before the incident, video footage also revealed an object believed to be a phone positioned between the steering wheel and the driver.
Attorneys representing the family have taken immediate steps to ensure preservation of evidence regarding Klinghoffer’s potential use of the device at the time of the tragic incident.
According to the suit, Klinghoffer “went off on tour with his band after the incident. He has never contacted the family. He has shown no remorse for his behavior.”
Also according to the TLJ, the fatal accident occurred on West Main Street, which features a center grass median designed to allow safe pedestrian crossings and facilitate traffic flow without hindrance. The case is now identified as Sanchez v. Josh Adam Klinghoffer.
