Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has been charged with misdemeanor hit-and-run after allegedly hitting a parked car in California’s Napa Valley.
On July 17, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced the charge against Paul Pelosi, 86, for the July 3 incident. Prosecutors accuse him of striking an unoccupied parked car before leaving the scene in Yountville, about 50 miles north of San Francisco. Paul Pelosi also faces an infraction of making an unlawful turn.
The Napa County Sheriff’s Office previously said no one was injured in the incident. A witness called 911 and told authorities a driver hit the parked car, briefly stopped, and then left the scene, the sheriff’s office said in a statement to multiple news outlets. Sheriff’s deputies then found Pelosi’s brown convertible nearby with damage to the front-right side, which was consistent with damage found on the parked car.
Paul Pelosi told deputies he knew he hit something but didn’t know what it was, the sheriff’s office said. He kept driving until the car became disabled.
The sheriff’s office said Paul Pelosi didn’t have alcohol in his system at the time, and he wasn’t arrested at the scene, which officials said is common for such misdemeanor cases. The sheriff’s office said it referred the case to the state Department of Motor Vehicles to evaluate whether Paul Pelosi should be allowed to continue driving, which officials added was a process common for older drivers.
An attorney wasn’t listed in court records for Paul Pelosi, a wealthy businessman who runs a San Francisco-based venture capital firm. A spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi’s congressional office declined to comment. The sheriff’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Paul Pelosi and Nancy Pelosi arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar party after the 96th Academy Awards, known as the Oscars, in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., March 10, 2024.
A spokesperson for the Pelosi family previously told news outlets that “Mr. Paul Pelosi has personally apologized to the owner of the vehicle and assured them that he would take responsibility for the damage to their vehicle. Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter.”
Records show Paul Pelosi has a court appearance scheduled for Aug. 14.
In 2022, Paul Pelosi pleaded guilty to DUI causing injury, a misdemeanor, which stemmed from a crash in Napa County. His sentence included three years of probation, serve five days in jail, and he was ordered to complete a drinking-driver program along with paying fines and restitution.
Later that year, an intruder broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco home and attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer, fracturing his skull. David Wayne DePape, the man who attacked him, was sentenced to life in prison for the attack. The attack highlighted violence against elected officials and their families.
Contributing: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, and James Ward, USA TODAY Network
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paul Pelosi faces hit-and-run charge after crash into parked car
