Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was charged Thursday with driving under the influence, a press release from the Napa County District Attorney's Office revealed.
The office accused Paul Pelosi, 82, of driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.8 (the legal limit for driving in California) or higher, causing injury, and driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury.
''We are not permitted to try cases in the court of public opinion; rather, we litigate them in a court of proper jurisdiction,'' the district attorney's office emphasized. ''These rules protect the constitutional right to a fair trial enshrined in the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution.''
Paul Pelosi's two misdemeanor citations come one month after news broke that he was arrested after the Porsche he was driving collided with a Jeep on a Northern California road, ABC News reported.
At the time, a representative for Paul Pelosi said he was attending a dinner party in Oakville the night of the crash and left to drive home at 10:15 p.m. local time.
The spokesperson further emphasized that the crash occurred ''a short distance away'' from where Paul Pelosi had been and that he was ''fully cooperative'' with authorities after being arrested.
If Paul Pelosi is convicted as charged, he could face a minimum of five days in jail and up to five years' probation, as well as fines. He is set to appear in court in early August.