In California at least, the Pelosis are generally considered as political royalty. But sometimes, even they can go too far.
That was the case recently with Paul Pelosi, husband to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the long-serving Democratic leader who is finally calling it a career and retiring after her term ends in January.
Paul Pelosi was formally charged Friday with misdemeanor hit-and-run following an incident earlier this month, according to authorities.
The Napa County District Attorney’s Office announced that Pelosi, 86, faces one misdemeanor count of hit-and-run and an infraction for making an unsafe turning movement in connection with a July 3 incident.
According to the criminal complaint, Pelosi allegedly struck a parked Tesla, causing damage, before leaving the scene without attempting to identify the vehicle’s owner or providing the information required under California law.
Pelosi allegedly struck the vehicle on the 6700 block of Yount Street in Yountville, around 2:30 p.m. local time, the sheriff’s office said.
The vehicle, which was unoccupied, was legally parked on the side of the roadway and was left with major rear damage, according to the sheriff’s office.
CBS News reported that Yountville is about 50 miles north of San Francisco, where the couple live.
Deputies said they were told by a witness that the driver who hit the car briefly stopped, but then left the scene.
Deputies later located Pelosi about a half-mile from the scene. According to authorities, he told officers he intended to return after the collision.
Prosecutors allege those actions form the basis for both the misdemeanor hit-and-run charge and the related traffic infraction.
The Napa County District Attorney’s Office said it does not typically issue news releases for misdemeanor hit-and-run cases involving only property damage.
However, officials said they made an exception in this instance because of the “significant public and media interest” surrounding Pelosi.
According to the criminal complaint, Pelosi was driving a burgundy Maserati convertible when the July 3 collision occurred.
A venture capitalist, he has long maintained a residence in Napa County.
The complaint does not indicate whether anyone else was inside the vehicle at the time of the alleged incident.
The Pelosis released a statement following the incident.
“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. Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter,” said the statement.
The latest charges mark the second high-profile traffic-related legal case involving Pelosi in recent years.
In 2022, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DUI stemming from a separate crash in Napa County.
He was sentenced to probation, ordered to pay fines and restitution, required to complete a DUI education program, and directed to install an ignition interlock device in his vehicle.
According to The New York Times, Pelosi was also involved in a fatal crash in San Mateo County in 1957 that claimed the life of his 19-year-old brother.
A jury later cleared him of any wrongdoing in the incident.
The newspaper also reported that Pelosi has accumulated multiple driving infractions in recent years across four Bay Area counties—San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, and Napa.
Those citations reportedly included driving the wrong way on a one-way street, speeding, using a cellphone without a hands-free device, and failing to stop at a red light.
Paul Pelosi is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Aug. 14 in Napa County Superior Court.
The Napa County District Attorney’s Office also released a copy of the criminal complaint when it announced the charges.
