Paul Pelosi, the 86-year-old husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is facing a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge after allegedly striking a parked vehicle in Napa County wine country and leaving the scene, authorities said Friday.
The incident occurred Friday afternoon around 2:30 p.m. on the 6700 block of Yount Street in Yountville, a picturesque wine country town about 50 miles north of San Francisco. According to the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, Pelosi was driving a brown convertible when his vehicle struck an unoccupied, legally parked car on the side of the roadway. A witness observed the collision and reported seeing the convertible’s driver briefly stop before continuing to drive away from the scene.
The parked vehicle sustained major rear damage from the collision, while Pelosi’s convertible suffered significant damage to its front right side. After driving approximately one-quarter mile further down the road, Pelosi’s vehicle became disabled and came to rest partially blocking Yountville Cross Road, where deputies with the California Highway Patrol were already positioned when they located him.
When interviewed by deputies, Pelosi acknowledged that he had struck something but said he was uncertain what he had hit, so he continued driving until his car became disabled and could no longer be operated. A preliminary alcohol screening test showed no alcohol in his system, and investigators determined that driving under the influence was not a factor in the collision. No injuries were reported from the crash.
Authorities noted that Pelosi was not arrested at the scene, which the sheriff’s office said is standard procedure for this type of misdemeanor offense. The case has been referred to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution. Additionally, the sheriff’s office submitted a California Department of Motor Vehicles re-evaluation referral form, a procedure that is routinely conducted for elderly drivers.
The incident marks the second vehicle crash involving Pelosi in Napa County in recent years. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving causing injury stemming from a May crash in the same region. He was sentenced to five days in jail and three years of probation, of which he served two days in custody with an additional two days credited for good conduct, leaving one day to be served through a work program at the local courthouse. As part of that sentence, he was required to complete a three-month DUI education program and install an ignition interlock device in his vehicle for one year.
Neither Paul Pelosi nor former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have publicly commented on the incident. A representative for Nancy Pelosi did not respond to requests for comment Saturday afternoon.