A guitarist who has played with Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chili Peppers and was involved in fatal collision in Alhambra in March pleaded not guilty Thursday to a vehicular manslaughter charge. On March 18, the victim, Israel Sanchez, was heading to the grocery store and 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 came to a stop, according to video footage provided by the family’s attorney. Sanchez later died in a hospital. Klinghoffer remained at the scene and was not detained. Klinghoffer pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a misdemeanor charge of of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. His attorney did not respond to request 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 did not not have a 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 until police and the ambulance arrived.” Related Articles Crime and Public Safety | Jurupa Valley man pleads guilty, gets 5 years in prison for hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian Crime and Public Safety | Passenger died in 15 Freeway crash in Norco when horse flew through windshield, CHP said Crime and Public Safety | 1 person and horse killed in collision on 15 Freeway in Norco Crime and Public Safety | 8 firefighters injured after fire utility truck overturns on OC toll road Crime and Public Safety | 3 dead following 4-vehicle collision on San Bernardino freeway