Storrs — A series of bad choices led UConn freshman James Bouknight to facing multiple charges in connection with an on-campus vehicular incident late last month.

Bouknight will be dealing with the fallout and punishment for his actions long after his court date on Oct. 29.

Campus police charged Bouknight, a guard on the men's basketball team, with evading responsibility, interfering with a police officer, traveling too fast for conditions and operation of a motor vehicle without a license on Sept. 27.

Coach Dan Hurley addressed the matter Tuesday while meeting with the media inside the Werth Center.

Hurley called Bouknight's behavior that night out of character.

Bouknight, from Brooklyn, N.Y., is already paying a price.

"In the end, the biggest punishment, or the biggest fallout from this thing is going to be the damage to his reputation," Hurley said. "The shame, the embarrassment that he's caused himself, that he's caused his family, that he's caused the program, his teammates, the university. All of us here.

"James comes from a great family, two great parents that raised him to make much better choices than he did that night. He's going to have to live with this thing. This is going to be attached to him in his career for the next several years, minimum. That's a hard thing. He's struggling and he should be."

Hurley learned of the incident the day after it happened and met with Bouknight. He said it is Bouknight's first interaction with the law.

According to the police report, the incident occurred at approximately 1:32 a.m. on Sept. 27. A campus police officer observed a vehicle hit a street sign at the intersection of Royce Circle and Wilbur Cross Way. When approached by the officer and asked for identification, the driver — later identified as Bouknight — said he didn't have one and then ran from the scene.

Police eventually found Bouknight, who gave a sworn written statement admitting to the actions, the report stated. He turned himself into the UConn Police Department on Oct. 21.

"It just became one bad decision that led to another bad decision that led to another bad decision," Hurley said. "We're grateful and thankful that no one was injured. Now, he'll deal with the legal system and he'll deal with reading his name attached to a very embarrassing situation. It's a tough day. He's going to have to be incredibly strong to get through the shame of this incident."

UConn released a statement on Tuesday from Bouknight who apologized and took responsibility for his behavior. He plans to continue to cooperate with authorities.

"I was irresponsible and made some foolish choices that I regret," Bouknight said. "I want to apologize to my family, my coaches, and my teammates for this situation and for creating an unnecessary distraction as we get ready for the upcoming season.

"But I intend to use this experience to learn from my mistakes and make better life decisions going forward."

It's been a difficult few weeks for Bouknight, according to Hurley.

Bouknight has continued to practice with the team and participated in First Night festivities last Friday at Gampel Pavilion.

Hurley has issued his own internal punishment and discipline but declined to give any details, preferring to keep it "in-house." He takes pride in his program and culture and admits that this situation is a "bad look."

The UConn coaching staff has made Bouknight's basketball life uncomfortable.

"We've been down on him," Hurley said. "Obviously, our response as a coaching staff, we're obviously incredibly disappointed in the choices that he's made, so he's dealt with the fallout of that. It's affected the way he's practiced. It's affected his emotional and his mental state. He's in a bad way. But that's the state you're going to put yourself in when you make bad choices.

"But, at this point, he's accepted responsibility. Walk out of this place with your head held up high. You're a quality person that did some dumb stuff. Handle the consequences of it and show people who you are."

Hurley will hold off on a decision regarding any potential suspension until the legal process is completed.

UConn travels to Harvard later this week for a closed scrimmage and plays Division II Saint Michael's College in an exhibition on Wednesday, Oct. 30, in Hartford.

Bouknight has impressed the coaching staff during workouts and will likely play a significant role this upcoming season.

Hurley expects that Bouknight will be on his best behavior going forward. And he hopes that it's a learning experience for not only Bouknight but also his UConn teammates.

"I believe in James Bouknight," Hurley said. "We got to know him really well during the recruiting process. I've got extreme confidence that from here on out everything that's attached to James Bouknight is going to be really, really positive once this thing has played out.

"Obviously, he can't have another situation. He's got to carry himself with humility and also strength to be able to handle this situation and take everything that's comes with it and not let this situation define him. He's got to learn from it. There's a lot that comes with it when you're a high profile athlete and when you have a situation like this that's public. We're going to support him. We're behind him, we're family."

g.keefe@theday.com