Paul Pelosi charged in Napa County hit-and-run

The Napa County District Attorney’s Office has charged Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with misdemeanor hit-and-run after prosecutors say he struck an unoccupied parked vehicle in Yountville earlier this month and drove away.

District Attorney Allison Haley announced Friday, July 17, the office filed the charge against the 86-year-old St. Helena resident. Prosecutors also cited Pelosi for making an illegal turn.

According to prosecutors, the collision happened July 3 in Yountville. They allege Pelosi struck an unoccupied parked vehicle and left without stopping to provide the information required by law.

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

Days after the crash was reported, a family spokesperson said Pelosi “personally apologized to the owner of the vehicle and assured them that he would take responsibility for the damage to their vehicle.”

Former Speaker Pelosi, the spokesperson said in a statement, “will not be commenting further on this private matter.”

The District Attorney’s Office said it does not typically announce charges in misdemeanor hit-and-run cases involving only property damage but made an exception because of the significant public and media interest surrounding the case.

The office also addressed questions it anticipated receiving about why Pelosi was not charged with driving under the influence.

“The District Attorney’s Office has an ethical obligation to file only those charges that can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt based on the available evidence,” the office said in a statement. “No evidence indicating that the defendant was driving under the influence was presented to our office.”

The District Attorney’s Office said any decision about Pelosi’s driving privileges rests with the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Prosecutors said their jurisdiction extends only to asking a judge to prohibit Pelosi from driving as a condition of probation if he is convicted.

The office also said it will not release deputies’ body-worn camera footage while the case is pending, saying doing so could affect Pelosi’s right to a fair trial. It said the footage may be released after the case is resolved.

The District Attorney’s Office said it does not plan to release additional information while the case is pending.

Pelosi was previously arrested after a crash in Yountville in May 2023 and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence. He was sentenced to five days in jail and three years probation in that case.

You can reach Staff Writer Isabel Beer at [email protected].