House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, has pleaded guilty to driving under influence (DUI) charges as California Highway Patrol (CHP) released photos and videos recorded on the night of the May 28 crash.
The long-awaited footage of the incident shows Paul's alleged slurred speech and what police previously described as "objective" signs of intoxication, as well as police asking him to perform field sobriety tests.
Paul Pelosi Pleads Guilty
The suspect's 2021 Porsche and another driver's 2014 Jeep sustained "major collision damage" in a crash that occurred at around 10:17 p.m. on May 28. Responding officers then found Paul in the driver's seat inside his damaged vehicle near the intersection of California Route 29 and Oakville Cross Road.
In the footage, Paul's voice is not always easily made out over the road noise but he can be heard telling an officer he had a "glass of champagne before dinner" and also "a glass of white." He told the responding officers that he started drinking at around 7:00 p.m. and finished at around 8:00 p.m., as per Fox News.
After stops at the hospital, the local CHP office, and finally the county jail, investigators determined he had a blood-alcohol content of .082%. Furthermore, photographs showed bruises on Paul's hands and forearms after the crash and damage to both vehicles.
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Paul spoke to officers with slurred speech and handed them his driver's license and an "11-99 Foundation" card when they asked for his ID. The 11-99 Foundation is a California Highway Patrol charity that supports officers and provides scholarships for their children.
According to the Associated Press, Paul pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges on Tuesday. Authorities sentenced the suspect to five days in jail and three years of probation.
Jail Time and Fines
Paul already served two days in jail and received good conduct credit for two other days, said NAPA County Superior Court Judge Joseph Solga. Paul will work eight hours in the court's work program in lieu of the remaining day, said Solga during the suspect's sentencing, which he did not attend.
State law allows for DUI misdemeanor defendants to appear through their attorney unless ordered otherwise by the court. As part of Paul's probation, he will be required to attend a three-month drinking driver class, and install an ignition interlock device, where the driver has to provide a breath sample before the engine will start.
Furthermore, Paul will also have to pay about $5,000 in victim restitution for medical bills and lost wages and nearly $2,000 in fines, said the judge. The misdemeanor case against him was filed by prosecutors because of injuries to the 48-year-old driver of the SUV.
Authorities declined to identify the driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash, saying that they requested privacy. In an interview with investigators, the driver reported pain in his upper right arm, right shoulder, and neck the day after the crash.
During the time of the incident, Paul's wife, Nancy, was on the other side of the country, in Rhode Island, delivering a graduation speech at Brown University, BBC reported.
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