Paul Pelosi pleads not guilty to DUI misdemeanor charges

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The husband of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi pleaded not guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges related to a May car crash in Northern California wine country.

Paul Pelosi, 82, did not appear in person at Napa County Superior Court Wednesday. His attorney Amanda Bevins entered not guilty pleas for him on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and driving with a .08% blood alcohol level or higher causing injury.

State law allows for DUI misdemeanor defendants to appear through their attorney unless ordered otherwise by the court.

He was arrested following a May 28 crash in Napa County, north of San Francisco, after a DUI test showed he had a blood alcohol content level of .082%. The blood sample was taken about two hours after the collision occurred at 10:17 p.m., the Napa County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

Pelosi was driving a 2021 Porsche into an intersection near the wine country town of Yountville that was hit by a 2014 Jeep, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Prosecutors filed the case as a misdemeanor because of the injuries sustained by the 48-year-old driver of the Jeep. They have not described the injuries or provided more information about the other driver, saying the person has requested privacy.

Pelosi was released on $5,000 bail after his arrest.

If convicted, Pelosi faces up to a minimum of five days in jail and up to five years of probation. He would also be required to complete a drinking driver class and install an ignition interlock device in his vehicle — a breathalyzer that requires the driver to blow into it before operating the vehicle, prosecutors said.

Pelosi has been married to the powerful Democratic speaker since 1963. She is traveling in Asia this week.