Paul Pelosi Charged With Misdemeanor Hit-And-Run Charge After Leaving Scene Of Crash

NAPA VALLEY, CA — Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, will face misdemeanor hit-and-run and an infraction following a July 3 collision involving a parked vehicle in Yountville.

Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced Friday that prosecutors filed one count of misdemeanor hit-and-run under California Vehicle Code section 20002, which requires drivers involved in property-damage collisions to stop and exchange identifying information. Prosecutors also charged Pelosi with making an unlawful turn.

The 86-year-old St. Helena resident was driving a brown convertible on July 3 when he allegedly struck a legally parked, unoccupied vehicle, briefly stopped, then left the scene, according to the Napa County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney's office. No injuries were reported.

Authorities said a witness called 911 after seeing the collision. Deputies later located Pelosi about a quarter-mile away after his vehicle, which had front-end damage, stopped operating.

Investigators said Pelosi told deputies he knew he had struck something but did not know when or what caused the damage.

The sheriff's office said Pelosi showed no signs of alcohol impairment. Deputies referred him to the California Department of Motor Vehicles for a driver reexamination, a process officials said is commonly used to evaluate whether older drivers remain medically fit to drive.

Because the collision resulted only in property damage, deputies did not arrest Pelosi at the scene. Instead, they submitted the case to the Napa County District Attorney's Office with a recommendation that prosecutors file a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge.

Haley said her office does not typically issue news releases about misdemeanor hit-and-run cases involving only property damage. However, she said prosecutors made an exception because of significant public and media interest.

Pelosi is scheduled to appear in Napa County Superior Court on Aug. 14.

Following the collision, the Pelosi family released a statement saying Paul Pelosi had apologized to the owner of the damaged vehicle.

"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," the statement said. "Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter."

The latest case comes four years after Pelosi pleaded guilty in Napa County to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges stemming from a 2022 crash. He received a sentence that included probation, a court-ordered drinking driver education program, installation of an ignition interlock device, restitution to the victim, and fines.

Later that same year, Pelosi was seriously injured when an intruder attacked him with a hammer inside the couple's San Francisco home.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.