The city of Seattle has agreed to pay a $29 million settlement (approximately ₹260–262 crore) to the family of 23-year-old Indian graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula, who was killed after being struck by a speeding police vehicle in 2023.
Kandula was crossing a street when she was hit by a patrol car driven by Officer Kevin Dave. He was responding to a drug overdose call and was reportedly traveling at speeds of up to 74 mph (119 km/h) in a 25-mph zone. Although his emergency lights were activated, the siren was used only at intersections.
Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans described the incident as “heartbreaking” and said the settlement aims to provide some measure of closure to the grieving family. “Jaahnavi Kandula’s life mattered — to her family, her friends, and the community,” she said.
At the time of the accident, Kandula was pursuing a master’s degree in information systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus. The settlement notice was filed in King County Superior Court last Friday. The agreement was first reported by local news outlet PubliCola.
The case sparked widespread outrage, especially after body-camera footage surfaced showing another officer, Daniel Auderer, laughing and making controversial remarks about the incident. A civilian oversight body later concluded that his comments seriously undermined public trust in the police department. Auderer, who was a police union leader at the time, was dismissed from service and has since filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city.
Officer Kevin Dave was also fired and cited for negligent driving, receiving a $5,000 fine. However, King County prosecutors declined to file felony charges, stating there was insufficient evidence to prove he had intentionally disregarded public safety.
Officials said that approximately $20 million of the settlement will be covered by the city’s insurance.
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