The United States Napa County Superior Court, on Tuesday, sentenced the husband of the U.S. House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, to five days in jail and ordered him to pay a fine of $6,800 and make restitution after he pleaded guilty to causing injury by drunken driving, Reuters reports.
Also, 82-year-old Paul Pelosi will avoid further incarceration as the Judge, Joseph Solga, gave him four days’ credit for time already served in jail following his arrest and ordered him to perform eight hours of community service in lieu of the one remaining day, according to his attorney Amanda Bevins.
According to a press release from the county prosecutor’s office, Bevins entered the guilty plea on behalf of her client in Napa County Superior Court as Paul Pelosi chose not to appear for the proceeding in person because his presence was not required.
Paul Pelosi, who is a venture capital executive, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) after he was involved in a two-car crash in California’s wine country in May this year.
Police report stated that his Porsche collided with a Jeep when he attempted to cross a highway but no one sustained serious injury during the accident.
Judge Joseph Solga on Tuesday accepted Paul Pelosi’s guilty plea to a single misdemeanour count of DUI causing injury after reaching an agreement with prosecutors to settle the case.
Meanwhile, Judge Joseph Solga dismissed a second charge of driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08% or higher, the state’s legal limit, and causing injury.
The second charge, according to the spokesman for the county district attorney’s office, is said to carry a maximum penalty of a year in jail.
But whereas Paul Pelosi escaped additional jail term, he was placed on three years’ probation and forbidden to operate a motor vehicle for a year unless it is equipped with a DUI ignition device, which prevents the driver from starting the car without first providing an instant alcohol-free breath sample.
The House Speaker’s husband was also ordered to pay $4,927 in restitution to the driver of the other car for medical bills and lost wages, plus the standard restitution fee of $150 and a $1,723 court fine.
The D.A.’s office also said that beside the penalties imposed on Paul Pelosi by the judge, the state Department of Motor Vehicles could also suspend his driver’s license for a year based on his conviction.
