A hit-and-run misdemeanor case has been filed against Paul Pelosi after he was involved in a car accident in Napa County, California.
The Napa County Sheriff’s Department revealed that the incident took place on Friday around 2:30 p.m. at Yount Street in Yountville.
A witness called 911 after spotting a brown convertible car moving in the northern direction hitting a parked car, resulting in heavy damage to the latter’s rear end.
Deputies later located the damaged convertible, which had become disabled and was partially blocking Yountville Cross Road. Officials identified the driver as the 86-year-old Paul Pelosi, husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Authorities stated that there was extensive damage to the front right side of the vehicle, similar to the damage observed in the stationary car involved in the accident.
As per reports, Paul Pelosi informed the deputies that he realized that he had hit an object, but he did not know what it was. He kept on driving the car until it broke down completely.
It was found out that Nancy Pelosi’s husband was the one who caused the accident and was not arrested by the law enforcement agency since it is usual practice for hit-and-run offenders committing a misdemeanor offense.
Furthermore, the sheriff’s office indicated that a referral to a re-evaluation by the California Department of Motor Vehicles would be made due to Paul Pelosi’s age.
Officials said Paul Pelosi underwent testing to determine whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. Investigators stated that they do not suspect driving under the influence.
The Pelosi family later released an official statement addressing the matter.
“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.”
They further wrote:
“Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter.”
The case remains under investigation as local authorities continue processing the misdemeanor charge.
Paul Pelosi’s 2022 misdemeanor charges revisited
Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Paul Pelosi has faced legal issues. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence in Napa County.
At the time, he was given a five-day sentence in prison and three years of probation. But he only served two days in jail, and he received good conduct credit for two other days. The one day left was fulfilled in a work program at the local courthouse.
As part of his probation, Pelosi was required to attend a three-month class for people who have been convicted of driving while intoxicated. He was also required to install a device in his car that requires him to breathe into it to prove he is sober before he can start the engine.
Further, he paid nearly $5,000 to cover medical bills and lost wages for the victims, as well as nearly $2,000 in fines.
Pelosi is a known businessman, investor, and the spouse of former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. He owns and operates the San Francisco-based real estate and venture capital investment firm, Financial Leasing Services, Inc.
Paul and Nancy married in 1963, and they have five children: Alexandra, Paul Jr., Corinne, Christine, and Jacqueline.
Edited by Gladys Altamarino