On July 17, Paul Pelosi, the husband of United States federal congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, was charged with a misdemeanor hit-and-run. Authorities stated that on July 3, he collided with a parked vehicle while driving in Napa County, California, before leaving the scene.
Paul Pelosi, who is 86 years old, resides in the city of St. Helena. He was also charged by the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for making an illegal turn.
The incident occurred in Yountville, California, on July 3, where a witness called 911 to report the accident. When Napa County police arrived at the scene, they found Paul Pelosi sitting in his brown convertible car, about a quarter of a mile away from the damaged parked vehicle on the roadside.
The Sheriff’s Office reported that Paul Pelosi’s car had damage to the front from the impact.
According to a statement from the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, Paul Pelosi told the deputy that he was aware of hitting something but was unsure of what or when it happened, so he continued driving. Law enforcement officials stated that his alcohol test results were negative.
The deputy did not arrest Paul Pelosi on the spot. There were no reports of injuries at the time of the accident. After being issued a misdemeanor citation for hit-and-run, he was allowed to return home. The Sheriff’s Office recommended transferring Paul Pelosi to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for an evaluation of his fitness to continue driving, a common procedure for elderly drivers.
Prosecutors stated that the hit-and-run charge carries a maximum sentence of 1 year of probation. Paul Pelosi’s first court appearance is scheduled for August 14.
This is the second time in nearly four years that Paul Pelosi has been prosecuted for a traffic accident in Napa County. In the previous case, he was sentenced to 3 years of probation, ordered to pay nearly $5,000 in medical restitution to the victim of the accident, and served a 5-day jail sentence. As part of the sentence, he was also required to undergo blood, breath, or urine tests as requested by law enforcement. Additionally, he was compelled to participate in a 3-month alcohol program and have an ignition interlock device installed in his vehicle for a year.
In the same year, unrelated to the aforementioned accident, Paul Pelosi was attacked with a hammer and assaulted in his home in San Francisco.
As of the time of writing, a spokesperson for the Pelosi family has not responded to media requests for comment.