Dashcam video shows arrest of Paul Pelosi on DUI charge
NAPA COUNTY - New CHP videos and pictures are giving us better insight into the arrest of Nancy Pelosi's husband for DUI, after a crash on a Napa roadway earlier this year.
Paul Pelosi pleaded guilty to driving under the influence Tuesday.
The recordings show Pelosi undergoing a field sobriety test, and telling a responding officer he was a "high profile individual."
Included in the dashcam videos released by the CHP, is this exchange between Pelosi and an officer:
Officer: "...Cause I really don't want you to fall over and hurt yourself that's the last thing I want..."
Pelosi: "...I'm not going to fall over and hurt myself...(inaudible)"
Officer: "...Right but that defeats the whole purpose of the test, grabbing onto the patrol car..."
The video shows Paul Pelosi having difficulty performing one of the field sobriety tests following the May car crash.
Officer: "...the next test that I'm gonna have you do is the finger count test its very simple..."
The video shows the officer giving Pelosi other tests, he is able to pass. Newly released pictures also show Pelosi outside his crashed Porsche on a Napa County road, after a collision with a Jeep. No one was badly hurt. Officers also took photos showing Pelosi's wrists with some possible bruising.
The dash camera video also reveals Pelosi telling the officer he does not want to take a preliminary breathalyzer test, explaining he is a high-profile individual.
Officer: "... I understand who you are...And I'm not here to draw any negative attention to you ..."
Officer: "...I understand you want to go home...But you gotta understand from my standpoint...You're involved in a crash..."
Pelosi: "…right…"
Officer: "…I smell alcohol coming from your breath...I can see you're very unsteady on your feet..."
Out of frame, and captured on audio, the officer eventually tells Pelosi he is being arrested for suspicion of DUI.
Officer: "...I do have to put you in handcuffs...by department policy..."
John Campanella is a Sacramento DUI attorney who has represented clients with similar cases.
Pelosi eventually took a blood alcohol test that showed his content at .082 percent, above the legal limit.
"Lawyers fight cases much tougher than this all the time," Campanella said. "So there were definitely things that could have been challenged, in this case by the attorney, however, we all know that this case, you know Nancy Pelosi is a political figure, and they may have wanted this case resolved quickly and not spend a lot of time in the press."
The spouse of a national political power was arrested on a California roadway, and the dash camera account, now shows how it went down.
The judge sentenced the 82-year-old to five days in jail and three years of probation.
Although Campanella says he will likely get credit for time served for his booking process and will be allowed to do community service.
