Paul Pelosi, 86, did not appear in a Napa County courtroom Friday for his first scheduled court appearance on a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge. His attorney, Amanda Bevins, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf in Napa County Superior Court.
The charge stems from a July 3 crash in which Pelosi allegedly struck and damaged a parked Tesla while driving a burgundy Maserati convertible before leaving the scene without providing his information, according to a criminal complaint. Deputies located Pelosi about a half-mile away, where he reportedly told officers he intended to return to the scene. Prosecutors contend these actions constitute the misdemeanor charge and an infraction for an unsafe turning movement.
The Napa County District Attorney's Office stated it made an exception to its usual practice of not issuing news releases for misdemeanor hit-and-run cases involving only property damage due to significant public and media interest.
Pelosi, a venture capitalist, has a prior traffic-related legal matter in Napa County. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence following a separate crash. He was sentenced to probation, ordered to pay restitution and fines, complete a DUI education program, and install an ignition interlock device.
Reports have also indicated past driving infractions for Pelosi in other Bay Area counties, including speeding and using a cellphone without a hands-free device. He was also involved in a 1957 crash in San Mateo County that resulted in a fatality, though a jury later cleared him of wrongdoing in that incident.