Paul Pelosi did not attend a Napa County courtroom on Friday for his scheduled initial appearance concerning a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge, with his lawyer entering a plea of not guilty on his behalf.
The 86-year-old, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was represented by attorney Amanda Bevins. Bevins opted not to provide any comments when approached.
The hit-and-run charge follows an incident on July 3, where Pelosi was allegedly driving a burgundy Maserati convertible and struck a parked Tesla. He reportedly left the scene without providing required information to the vehicle’s owner, as outlined by California law, per a criminal complaint.
Authorities later found Pelosi about half a mile away, where he mentioned to officers that he meant to return to the site of the crash. These actions serve as the basis for the misdemeanor allegations.
Interestingly, the district attorney’s office typically does not publicize hit-and-run incidents relating only to property damage, but made an exception in this case due to significant public and media interest surrounding Pelosi.
Pelosi, a venture capitalist and longtime Napa County resident, was driving the Maserati during the incident. The complaint didn’t specify if anyone else was in the vehicle. This is not the first time Pelosi has faced legal issues related to driving. He had previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge following a crash in Napa County in 2022, resulting in probation, fines, and the requirement to complete a DUI education program.
In addition to these incidents, a report indicated that Pelosi has a history of driving violations across four counties in the Bay Area in recent years, including speeding and failing to stop at a red light. It’s noteworthy that back in 1957, he was driving when his 19-year-old brother was killed in a crash, but he was later cleared of any wrongdoing linked to that accident.
