FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Arun Vellanki, the Hopkinton man accused of striking a young child with his vehicle and allegedly providing “misleading” statements about the crash, pleaded not guilty to a charge of negligent operation of a motor vehicle during his arraignment at Framingham District Court Friday.
Vellanki declined to comment when Investigative Reporter Ted Daniel questioned him after the hearing.
The appearance follows a contentious pre-trial period marked by a battle over a proposed felony charge that was not supported in a closed-door hearing in early October. While Vellanki stood before a judge on the misdemeanor count Friday, the victim’s family continued to question why a more serious charge of witness intimidation was dismissed
The case stems from a September 30th incident on Walnut Way in Hopkinton. Surveillance footage of the crash shows a five-year-old boy riding his bicycle on a sidewalk when he was struck by Vellanki’s car as it reversed out of a driveway. The impact pushed the child into the street, resulting in a concussion and facial wounds that required stitches.
According to police reports, Vellanki did not call 911 immediately following the crash. The boy’s father, Divya Shah, stated that he was initially led to believe his son was at fault for the collision. It was not until five days later, after reviewing neighborhood video evidence, that the family realized the footage appeared to contradict the driver’s story. Investigating officers later characterized Vellanki’s statements on three separate occasions as misleading.
Attorneys for Vellanki declined to comment on Friday.
Previously, Vellanki’s defense counsel, Martin H. Green, defended the proceedings, noting that a magistrate found no probable cause for the intimidation charge and ruled it should not be issued. Green maintains Vellanki was legally entitled to the hearing and that the current misdemeanor charge is the only valid complaint pending.
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office confirmed they are still reviewing the case despite their previous formal objections to the private hearing. Divya Shah emphasized that the legal system must take these incidents seriously, regardless of the severity of the injuries, noting that his son continues to deal with the emotional and physical toll of the accident.
Vellanki was released on personal recognizance and is scheduled to return to court on February 23 for a pre-trial hearing.
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