Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist sued for alleged wrongful death of Alhambra man

The daughter of man who was fatally struck by a vehicle in Alhambra in March filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Wednesday, July 10, against the driver, a guitarist who has played with Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Josh Klinghoffer was named in the lawsuit filed by Ashley Sanchez, the daughter of 47-year-old Israel Sanchez, alleging that he was distracted when his SUV collided with her father, according to the court papers.

On March 18, Israel Sanchez was on his way to the store get groceries to make soup for his family, walking in a protected crosswalk at Main Street and Meridian Avenue, when he was struck by the SUV, falling to the ground and being dragged a few feet until the vehicle came to a stop, according to video footage provided by Sanchez’s attorney.

Sanchez died hours later in a hospital.

“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 Sanchez said in a statement. “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.”

Klinghoffer, who remained at the scene and was not detained, did not have a license plate on his SUV at the time of the crash, according to the suit.

The Alhambra Police Department did not immediately respond to request for comment.

“(Sanchez) 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,” Nick Rowley, the daughter’s attorney, said on Wednesday. “The loss and grief that the Sanchez family now faces is immense.”

In a Wednesday statement, Klinghoffer’s attorney, Andrew Brettler, said the crash was a “tragic accident.”

“After which, Josh immediately pulled over, stopped the vehicle, called 911, and waited until police and the ambulance arrived. He is fully cooperating with the traffic investigation.”

Ashley Sanchez seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages