Paul Pelosi Has Accumulated Nearly $9K in Fines Resulting from Driving Violations as He Faces Yet Another Misdemeanor Hit-and-Run in California
Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has accumulated nearly $9,000 in fines, restitution and other penalties stemming from a series of driving violations over the years as he now faces a new misdemeanor hit-and-run charge in California.
Pelosi, 86, pleaded not guilty through his attorney Friday to the charge stemming from a July 4 weekend collision in Yountville, California, according to the Daily Mail.
Pelosi did not personally attend the arraignment in Napa County. His attorney, Amanda Bevins, entered the plea on his behalf.
The latest case stems from an incident in which authorities allege Pelosi struck a parked Tesla while driving a convertible and then left the scene.
According to the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, Pelosi’s vehicle subsequently stopped less than half a mile away on Yountville Cross Road.
He was not arrested following the incident but was later charged with one count of misdemeanor hit-and-run.
His driver’s license was also referred to the California Department of Motor Vehicles for reevaluation due to his age, a procedure that can be used for elderly drivers.
The case represents the latest driving-related legal issue involving Pelosi, who pleaded guilty to DUI following a separate Napa County collision in 2022.
That incident occurred after Pelosi had been drinking and drove his 2021 Porsche into another vehicle while returning home.
Pelosi was arrested after the crash and later pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.
A Napa County judge sentenced him to three years of probation and imposed a $1,723 court fine. Pelosi was also ordered to pay $4,927.53 in victim restitution and a $150 victim restitution fine.
But the Daily Mail reported that Pelosi’s history of traffic violations extends years before the DUI case.
In June 2011, Pelosi was cited in San Mateo County after allegedly driving 90 mph in a 60-mph zone.
He received a $417 fine and was ordered to attend traffic school.
Later that year, Pelosi received two additional tickets in Napa County. One involved crossing double yellow lines near his St. Helena vineyard property, while another resulted in a $490 fine for running a red light, per the Daily Mail.
In April 2013, Pelosi received another red-light violation after an incident on Camino Real in Millbrae, California.
That offense resulted in a $582 fine.
Additional violations followed in Marin County.
Pelosi was fined $161 in September 2014 for using a cellphone while driving.
Three months later, he received a $262 fine for failing to stop at a stop sign. A separate allegation that he failed to provide evidence of automobile insurance was subsequently dropped.
Pelosi encountered another legal issue on the road in December 2017 after being cited for driving the wrong way on a one-way street in Marin County.
The case ultimately went to a one-day trial in March 2018. Pelosi was convicted and ordered to pay a $237 fine.
The Daily Mail calculated that the various fines, restitution and financial penalties associated with Pelosi’s driving record total nearly $9,000.
His driving history also includes a far older and more serious incident from his teenage years.
In 1957, when Pelosi was 16, he was driving a sports car that crashed south of San Francisco. His 19-year-old brother, David, was killed.
Pelosi was charged with misdemeanor manslaughter following the crash, but the charge was later dropped.
According to the Daily Mail, a coroner’s jury determined that David died from strangulation caused by a neck brace he was wearing rather than as a result of injuries directly caused by the collision.
Pelosi’s driving has again attracted attention following the latest Yountville case.
Friends of the Pelosi family previously told the New York Times that they were concerned his age and physical condition could be affecting his ability to drive, according to the Daily Mail. The friends reportedly said they had not raised those concerns directly with Paul or Nancy Pelosi because they feared damaging their relationships with the couple.
Following the July incident, Nancy Pelosi’s office said her husband had apologized to the owner of the Tesla and promised to cover the damage.
“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.
The Tesla has since been repaired, according to photographs obtained by the Daily Mail.
Pelosi has not been convicted in connection with the latest incident and has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor hit-and-run charge.
His attorney requested an expedited settlement conference during Friday’s proceedings.
That conference is scheduled for Aug. 24 and is expected to determine how the case moves forward. Pelosi is not required to personally attend.
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