The city of Seattle has reached a $29 million settlement with the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a graduate student killed by a speeding police officer in 2023.
The city of Seattle has agreed to a $29 million settlement with the family of 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula, a graduate student from India who tragically lost her life after being struck by a speeding police officer in 2023. Kandula was hit by Officer Kevin Dave, who was driving at speeds of up to 74 mph in a 25 mph zone while responding to a drug overdose call. At the time of the incident, he had his emergency lights activated and was using his siren at intersections.
City Attorney Erika Evans expressed hope that the settlement would provide some measure of closure for Kandula’s family. “Jaahnavi Kandula’s death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement brings some sense of closure to the Kandula family,” Evans stated. “Jaahnavi Kandula’s life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends, and to our community.” Kandula was pursuing a master’s degree in information systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus. Attorneys representing the Kandula family did not respond to requests for comment following the announcement of the settlement.
The circumstances surrounding Kandula’s death sparked significant outrage and protests, particularly after a recording surfaced from another officer’s body camera. In the recording, Officer Daniel Auderer was heard laughing and suggesting that Kandula’s life had “limited value” and that the city should “just write a check.” This incident prompted calls for an investigation from Indian diplomats. The comments made by Auderer, who was a union leader, were found by the city’s civilian oversight body to have damaged the police department’s reputation and undermined public trust.
Auderer was subsequently fired from the police department and has since filed a lawsuit against the city for wrongful termination, claiming his remarks were intended to critique how attorneys might respond to the incident.
In addition to Auderer’s termination, Officer Kevin Dave, the driver involved in the incident, was also fired. He was cited for negligent driving and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. However, King County prosecutors opted not to file felony charges against him, stating they could not establish that he had deliberately disregarded safety when he struck Kandula.
Of the $29 million settlement, approximately $20 million is expected to be covered by the city’s insurance.
This story has been republished with permission from The Free Press Journal.