Ishan Pandhare, the former Cal Poly junior charged with seriously injuring two Cal Poly sophomores in a hit-and-run last month, pleaded not guilty to three felonies related to the Jan. 8 incident.
READ MORE: Cal Poly student arrested for felony hit-and-run with two victims
As of Wednesday morning, Pandhare is back in custody after the judge reset his bail to match his new charges and enhancements. He initially paid the $20,000 that was set when he was arrested and charged with reckless driving, which Judge Catherine Swysen determined to be “inappropriate” for the three felony charges he now faces.
Here are his charges:
- Felony DUI causing bodily injury with three enhancements, two for inflicting great bodily injury and one for having multiple victims
- Felony reckless driving causing specific injury, with one enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury
- Felony hit-and-run causing personal injury or death
- Misdemeanor hit-and-run causing property damage
- Infraction for violating speed law
The court denied Mustang News’ request to photograph the arraignment due to the presence of other defendants in jumpsuits, which is prohibited to photograph based on California law.
If Pandhare posts bail and is released, he will no longer be permitted to drive, consume alcohol or step foot on Cal Poly’s campus for the duration of the case. At the arraignment, Pandhare’s lawyer confirmed he is no longer a student at Cal Poly and said this will not be an issue.
He is also subject to search and seizure from law enforcement and chemical testing at any time to determine if he has consumed alcohol. He must continue to see a counselor once a week and include alcohol use as a part of that counseling.
“This is a serious matter and I expect strict compliance with all the conditions,” Judge Swysen said after listing the non-financial conditions of release.
During the proceedings, Pandhare sat in the gallery next to his father, who later told the judge that if released, Pandhare would stay with him at their house in Carlsbad, California near San Diego. Nine college-aged people sat in the back of the court for the duration of Pandhare’s arraignment, leaving shortly after.
When Judge Swysen determined Pandhare must be taken back into custody, his father took his belongings and left the room before Pandhare was handcuffed, taken into the inner section of the court, searched and seated next to other defendants.
Prosecution details witness statements to the police
Deputy District Attorney Scott Hunter detailed the statements witnesses gave to police to substantiate the prosecution’s request that Pandhare be taken back into custody with a raised bail of $200,000.
Hunter told the court that multiple people witnessed Pandhare drinking beer and taking shots of liquor at a party less than an hour before Pandhare hit the students. He said witnesses reported that multiple people at that party had encouraged Pandhare not to drive while intoxicated, which he ignored.
He said Pandhare was driving at over 60 mph when he hit the women, which was “reckless, illegal and extremely dangerous.” The speed limit on Crandall Way, where the hit-and-run occurred, is 25 mph.
Hunter said one of the victims suffered a broken neck and both suffered broken bones and concussions, among other injuries. These are serious, life-changing injuries for the women, he added.
When police located the car Pandhare drove the morning after the incident, Hunter said, they found one of the victims’ hair stuck in the broken windshield of the Tesla Model 3. Hunter also said that Pandhare made misrepresenting statements to the police about the incident when he was taken into custody.
The prosecution was concerned that Pandhare is charged with a DUI since he is 20 years old and cannot legally consume alcohol yet, according to Hunter, and that Pandhare was driving in a known high-traffic area across the street from Cal Poly during a period of “high activity” on that Thursday night.
Hunter told the court that Pandhare is a public safety risk and showed no remorse for his actions, as demonstrated by his unwillingness to pull over and help the victims.
Prosecution reached the request for $200,000 bail by stacking $50,000 for driving while intoxicated plus $50,000 for each enhancement, which there were three.
Judge Swysen ultimately decided to set bail at $150,000. Pandhare’s attorney indicated that his parents could potentially afford to pay that bail but that their ability to do so should not be taken into consideration when setting the bail.
Pandhare’s pre-preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 11. This hearing is a short court meeting where a judge decides if there’s enough evidence for a preliminary hearing, which decides if there is enough evidence for a trial.
