Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, faces criminal charges after prosecutors say he struck a parked vehicle and drove away from the scene in California’s Napa Valley, marking his second legal trouble in the region within four years.
Hit-and-Run Charges Filed in Napa County
Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced misdemeanor hit-and-run charges against the 86-year-old on July 17, stemming from a July 3 incident in Yountville, located approximately 50 miles north of San Francisco. Prosecutors allege Pelosi struck an unoccupied parked car before leaving the area. He also faces an infraction citation for making an unlawful turn during the incident.
A witness called 911 and reported seeing a driver hit the parked vehicle, briefly stop, then leave the scene. Sheriff’s deputies located Pelosi’s brown convertible nearby with front-right damage matching the damage on the struck vehicle. No injuries occurred during the incident, according to the Napa County Sheriff’s Office.
Driver Claims He Didn’t Know What He Hit
Pelosi told responding deputies he knew he struck something but claimed he didn’t know what it was. He continued driving until his vehicle became disabled and could no longer operate. Testing confirmed Pelosi had no alcohol in his system at the time of the collision. Deputies did not arrest him at the scene, which officials stated is standard procedure for such misdemeanor cases.
The sheriff’s office referred Pelosi’s case to the California Department of Motor Vehicles for a driving evaluation, a standard process for older drivers involved in traffic incidents. A Pelosi family spokesperson previously stated that Paul Pelosi personally apologized to the vehicle owner and assured them he would cover all damage costs. Nancy Pelosi’s congressional office declined further comment, calling it a private matter. Court records show Pelosi has a scheduled appearance on August 14.
Pattern of Legal Troubles in Napa Valley
This charge represents Pelosi’s second criminal case in Napa County within recent years. In 2022, the wealthy businessman who runs a San Francisco-based venture capital firm pleaded guilty to DUI causing injury, also a misdemeanor. That conviction resulted from a crash in Napa County and carried a sentence of three years probation, five days in jail, completion of a drinking-driver program, plus fines and restitution payments.
Later in 2022, an intruder broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco residence and attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer, fracturing his skull. David Wayne DePape received a life prison sentence for that attack, which drew national attention to escalating violence against elected officials and their families. No attorney is currently listed in court records for Pelosi regarding the hit-and-run charge.