CCSU Professor Pleads Not Guilty to Crash Charges

The associate professor at Central Connecticut State University who has faced a string of criminal charges pleaded not guilty in court Thursday to multiple charges stemming from a car crash earlier this month.

According to court papers, CCSU poet-in-residence and associate English professor Ravi Shankar, 39, was not supposed to be behind the wheel when he crashed into a guardrail on Route 9.

Shankar is accused of leaving the scene of the crash.

"This was a single-vehicle accident he called his wife and then he called a wrecker. He thought he was doing the responsible thing," said Shankar’s attorney, Jake Donovan attorney.

Shankar himself declined to comment outside the courtroom in Middletown except to confirm that he’s still employed as a professor at CCSU.

Shankar made headlines last spring when he was promoted while behind bars waiting to face charges from 2012.

At the time, CCSU officials said they weren't aware of Shankar's criminal history.

Students are now speaking up, asking for updates on Shankar's status.

"I'd be interested to see it and investigative query that would actually publish their findings and their interview process to the students," said Alex Tremblay.

Shankar is due back in court Jan. 23.

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