Paul Pelosi, Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s husband, could face hit-and-run charges in Northern California wine country following an incident Friday, the Napa County Sheriff’s Office said.
The incident did not appear to have involved alcohol and was referred to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, the sheriff’s office said. Pelosi was not arrested, according to a press release.
The sheriff’s office said that a vehicle sustained damage in Yountville, California, and a witness told authorities that “after crashing into the parked car, the driver briefly stopped then drove away.”
“The witness provided deputies with the direction the suspect vehicle was last seen traveling,” a press release said. “A short time later, deputies observed a [California Highway Patrol] vehicle parked behind a brown convertible car, which was partially blocking the roadway.”
Deputies identified the driver as Paul Pelosi, 86, according to the press release. The car had “significant damage” to the front right, “which was consistent with the recent crash,” the sheriff added.
“Pelosi admitted to hitting something, but said he did not know what he had hit, so he kept driving,” the press release said. “He drove until his car became disabled and was no longer able to continue driving.”
A preliminary alcohol test found no alcohol in his system, the sheriff said.
“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,” a spokesperson for the Pelosi family said.
The Napa County Sheriff’s Office is referring the case to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution.
This is the second car crash incident involving Pelosi in Napa County. In 2022, Pelosi pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five days in jail for driving under the influence.
He was also the victim in a physical attack at his home in 2024, when a man assaulted him with a hammer. That man, David DePape, was later sentenced to 30 years in prison.
