Paul Pelosi, the 86-year-old husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was formally charged Friday with misdemeanor hit-and-run and an infraction for an unsafe turning movement following a July 3 incident in Napa County, California. The Napa County District Attorney's Office announced the charges, citing significant public and media interest as the reason for issuing a news release in a case that typically would not warrant such attention.
According to the criminal complaint, Pelosi was driving a burgundy Maserati convertible when he allegedly struck a parked Tesla in Yountville, a town in the heart of Napa Valley wine country. After the collision, he reportedly left the scene without attempting to identify the vehicle's owner or leaving the information required under California law. Deputies located Pelosi about half a mile away, where he told officers he had intended to return to the scene.
Prosecutors contend that Pelosi's actions after the crash formed the basis for both the misdemeanor charge and the accompanying traffic infraction. The district attorney's office noted that it does not typically issue press releases for misdemeanor hit-and-run cases involving only property damage but made an exception due to the widespread public and media interest surrounding Pelosi, a venture capitalist who has long maintained a residence in Napa County.
The case adds to Pelosi's history of traffic-related legal troubles. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI after a separate Napa County crash and was sentenced to probation, ordered to pay restitution and fines, completed a DUI education program, and installed an ignition interlock device. The New York Times has also reported that Pelosi was behind the wheel during a fatal crash in 1957 in nearby San Mateo County that killed his 19-year-old brother, though a jury cleared him of any wrongdoing.
According to the Times, Pelosi has accumulated driving infractions in recent years across four Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, and Napa. Those infractions reportedly include driving the wrong way down a one-way street, speeding, using a cellphone without a hands-free device, and failing to stop at a red light. The criminal complaint does not mention whether anyone else was in the vehicle at the time of the July 3 incident.
Pelosi's first court appearance has been scheduled for August 14 in Napa County Superior Court. The Napa County District Attorney's Office included a copy of the criminal complaint with its announcement of the charges. The case remains under review, and further developments are expected as the legal process unfolds.
