The husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi received probation and a mandatory work assignment after striking a parked vehicle in California’s wine country and leaving the scene without providing his information.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
NAPA, Calif. — Paul Pelosi, the 86-year-old husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), has been prohibited from driving for six months and ordered to complete a 10-day work program after pleading no contest to misdemeanor hit-and-run charges stemming from a July collision in California’s Napa Valley.
Napa County Superior Court Judge Scott R.L. Young imposed the penalties Tuesday, Nov. 3, as part of a plea agreement that also placed Pelosi on one year of summary probation. According to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office, as reported by CBS News, Pelosi paid $11,191.14 in restitution to the owner of the damaged vehicle and must also pay court fines and fees.
Pelosi was ordered to report to the Napa County Department of Corrections for booking only by Nov. 20. The six-month driving prohibition represents the maximum period allowed under the applicable California Vehicle Code provisions, according to Fox News reporting.
The case arose from a July 3 collision in Yountville, a community in Napa County approximately 55 miles north of San Francisco. Pelosi was driving a burgundy Maserati GranCabrio when he struck an unoccupied Tesla parked along the 6700 block of Yount Street at approximately 2:30 p.m.
According to the criminal complaint, Pelosi briefly stopped after the collision but subsequently drove away without contacting the vehicle’s owner or leaving identifying information, as required under California law.
The parked Tesla sustained substantial damage, while Pelosi’s Maserati was also damaged in the collision. A witness contacted emergency services, prompting a response from Napa County sheriff’s deputies.
Authorities located Pelosi approximately half a mile from the collision site, where his vehicle had become disabled and was partially blocking Yountville Cross Road. A California Highway Patrol vehicle was also present when deputies arrived.
During the investigation, Pelosi acknowledged that he had struck an object but told authorities he did not know what he had hit.
“During the investigation, Pelosi admitted to hitting something, but said he did not know what he had hit, so he kept driving,” the Napa County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement cited by Breitbart News.
“He drove until his car became disabled and was no longer able to continue driving,” the sheriff’s office added.
Investigators determined that the incident did not involve alcohol or drugs, and Pelosi was not arrested at the time of the crash. No injuries were reported because the vehicle he struck was unoccupied.
Prosecutors subsequently charged Pelosi with misdemeanor hit-and-run and a traffic infraction for making an unlawful turn. He pleaded no contest to both counts Tuesday, resolving the case without a trial.
Under California law, drivers involved in collisions that damage unattended vehicles must make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or leave their name and contact information. Failure to comply can result in misdemeanor criminal charges.
A no-contest plea allows a defendant to accept a criminal conviction without formally admitting guilt. For purposes of sentencing in a criminal proceeding, it generally carries the same consequences as a guilty plea.
The court also ordered Pelosi to participate in a 10-day work program, a sentencing alternative sometimes used instead of incarceration. Such programs can include community service or supervised public works assignments, although the court did not publicly specify the duties Pelosi will be required to perform.
Following the collision, a spokesperson for the Pelosi family said Pelosi had contacted the owner of the damaged vehicle and accepted responsibility.
“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 spokesperson said, according to The Associated Press.
The case is Pelosi’s second criminal driving-related conviction in Napa County in approximately four years.
In May 2022, Pelosi was involved in a nighttime collision near Yountville while driving a Porsche. Authorities determined that he had been driving under the influence of alcohol when his vehicle collided with another car.
Pelosi pleaded guilty in August 2022 to misdemeanor driving under the influence causing injury and received a five-day jail sentence, three years of probation and financial penalties. He was credited with time already served and good conduct, leaving one day to complete through a court work program.
The earlier sentence also required Pelosi to attend a three-month drinking-driver education program and install an ignition interlock device in his vehicle. The device requires a driver to provide a breath sample before starting the engine.
Unlike the 2022 crash, investigators found no evidence of alcohol impairment in the July 2026 incident, and prosecutors did not pursue DUI charges.
Pelosi and his wife own property in the Napa Valley area, including a vineyard estate near St. Helena. Nancy Pelosi, who served as House speaker from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023, is completing her final congressional term after announcing she would not seek reelection in 2026.
The latest court order leaves Paul Pelosi subject to a six-month driving prohibition, one year of probation and the mandatory work program, with restitution already paid to the other vehicle’s owner.
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