The US city of Seattle has settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Jaahnavi Kandula for $29 million (over Rs 260 crore).
The 23-year-old Indian graduate was killed in 2023 after being hit by a police SUV travelling at high speed.
A Timeline Of Events
January 23, 2023: The Fatal Crash
Jaahnavi Kandula, a student pursuing her master's degree in information systems at Northeastern University's Seattle campus, was hit by a speeding Seattle Police patrol car while crossing a street in South Lake Union.
Officer Kevin Dave was driving the SUV at 119 kmph in a 40 kmph zone while responding to a drug overdose call.
Kandula was thrown over 100 feet and later died at Harbourview Medical Centre. The cause of death was multiple blunt-force injuries.
The 23-year-old was from Andhra Pradesh and had gone to the US from Bengaluru on a student exchange programme in 2021. She was due to graduate later that year.
Bodycam Footage And ‘Limited Value' Remark
Officer Daniel Auderer, who was called to the scene, left his body camera recording during a phone call. In the footage, he was heard laughing while discussing the crash.
“But she is dead,” the officer is heard saying before laughing. “No, it's a regular person. Yeah, just write a cheque,” he said, before laughing again. “Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value.”
In another clip released later, Auderer was heard saying, “Uh, I think she went up on the hood, hit the windshield, and then when he hit the brakes, flew off the car... But she is dead.” The department's Disciplinary Action Report said Auderer “laughed hard for four seconds.”
Her grandfather later told NDTV, "How can anyone speak like that after a tragic accident?"
Action Against The Cop
Following community pressure, Auderer was “administratively reassigned to a non-operational position.” About 15 days before this, the Seattle Community Police Commission had recommended that he be relieved from duty and that his pay be withheld.
Auderer later said his comments were taken out of context and claimed he was “ridiculing the city attorneys who would be tasked with litigating a potential wrongful death lawsuit.”
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed
Kandula's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in King County Superior Court, alleging police negligence and seeking accountability.
No Criminal Charges
In February 2024, prosecutors announced that criminal charges would not be filed against Kevin Dave, citing a lack of “sufficient evidence.” They said Dave did not show a “conscious disregard for others' safety.”
The Seattle City Attorney later issued Dave a $5,000 traffic infraction.
Officers Fired
In January 2025, Kevin Dave was fired after the Seattle Office of Police Accountability found he had violated four department policies.
In an internal email, Rahr said the hurt Auderer's words inflicted on Kandula's family “cannot be erased.
Daniel Auderer was also fired months earlier following disciplinary proceedings related to his remarks.
The Rs 260 Crore Settlement
City Attorney Erika Evans said in a statement on Thursday, “Jaahnavi Kandula's death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement brings some sense of closure to the Kandula family.” “Jaahnavi Kandula's life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and to our community,” she said.
