A guitarist who has played with Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chili Peppers and been involved in fatal collision in Alhambra in March pleaded not guilty Thursday to a charge of vehicular manslaughter.
On March 18, the victim, Israel Sanchez, was on his way to the grocery store and was walking in a protected crosswalk at Main Street and Meridian Avenue when he was struck by an SUV driven by Josh Klinghoffer, officials said. The man fell to the ground and was dragged a few feet until the vehicle stopped, according to video footage provided by the family’s attorney.
Sanchez later died at a hospital.
Klinghoffer remained at the scene and was not arrested.
Klinghoffer pleaded not guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. His attorney did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
A wrongful-death lawsuit filed in July by the victim’s family alleges that Klinghoffer was on his phone while driving the SUV and that he had no license plate on his SUV at the time of the crash.
His attorney in the civil case, Andrew B. Brettler, said in July that after the crash, Josh “immediately pulled over, stopped the vehicle, called 911 and waited for the police and ambulance to arrive.”