Paul Pelosi Charged With a Misdemeanor in a Hit-and-Run Crash
Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), has apologized to the owner of a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run crash in California and pledged to take responsibility for the damage, according to a spokesperson for the Pelosi family.
The incident occurred shortly after 2:30 p.m. Friday in Yountville, a town in California’s Napa Valley, where authorities say the 86-year-old Pelosi struck an unoccupied vehicle parked along the shoulder of a roadway.
Police allege Pelosi did not immediately stop after the collision. Instead, investigators said he continued driving until his brown convertible became disabled and came to a stop while blocking a nearby intersection.
A spokesperson for the Pelosi family told the Daily Mail that Pelosi has since contacted the vehicle’s owner.
“He personally apologized to the owner of the vehicle and assured them that he would take responsibility for the damage to their vehicle,” the spokesperson said, adding that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi would not comment further on what the family described as a private matter.
According to the Napa Valley Police Department, Pelosi told officers he realized he had struck something but was unsure what he had hit. Investigators said he continued driving until the vehicle could no longer operate.
“He drove until his car became disabled and was no longer able to continue driving,” the department said.
Authorities charged Pelosi with a misdemeanor count of hit-and-run involving a parked vehicle. He was not arrested at the scene.
Police also referred Pelosi’s driver’s license to the California Department of Motor Vehicles for re-evaluation because of his age, a procedure officials said is common for elderly drivers involved in traffic incidents.
Investigators said Pelosi’s convertible sustained significant front-end damage, while the parked vehicle suffered extensive damage to its rear. No injuries were reported because the vehicle that was struck was unoccupied.
The crash occurred near the same area where Pelosi was arrested in 2022 on suspicion of driving under the influence.
In that earlier incident, Pelosi crashed his 2021 Porsche after leaving a dinner in nearby Oakville. He later pleaded guilty to a DUI-related charge and was sentenced to three years of probation.
The latest crash has renewed attention on Pelosi’s driving history, including a fatal automobile accident during his teenage years.
In 1957, when Pelosi was 16 years old, he was driving a sports car that crashed near Crystal Springs Dam in San Mateo County. His older brother, David Pelosi, 19, was killed in the accident.
Contemporary newspaper accounts reported that David had urged his younger brother to slow down before the vehicle entered a curve. According to reports, the car crossed the roadway, struck embankments and overturned.
Although early reports indicated Paul Pelosi could face a misdemeanor manslaughter citation, a coroner’s jury ultimately exonerated him, and no criminal case proceeded.
Despite those incidents, Pelosi went on to become a successful businessman, building a substantial real estate and investment portfolio alongside Nancy Pelosi.
The couple owns multiple properties, including residences in San Francisco and Napa Valley, commercial real estate and an ownership stake in a luxury Napa Valley hotel. Public estimates have placed the Pelosis’ net worth between approximately $114 million and $400 million, driven largely by real estate holdings and investment portfolios.
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