Seattle police officer fires after fatal crash involving Indian student

Seattle police officer fires after fatal crash involving Indian student

Seattle's acting police chief said Monday that she has fired a police officer who killed a student from India in 2023 while responding to an overdose call.

Dismissal of the police officer

Acting Police Chief Sue Rahr informed employees in an email that Kevin Dave was fired after the Seattle Office of Police Accountability found four violations of police policy. This also includes a provision that requires the safe operation of patrol cars, such as the Seattle Times reported.

Accidents and their consequences

“I believe that the officer had no intention of harming anyone that night and that he was trying to get to a possible overdose victim as quickly as possible,” Rahr wrote. "However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving. His positive intent does not mitigate the poor decision that resulted in the loss of a human life and damaged the reputation of the Seattle Police Department."

Reactions and consequences

A message sent by the Associated Press sent to the Seattle Police Officers Guild, a police union, went unanswered. Attempts to reach Dave directly were also unsuccessful.

Rahr's announcement comes nearly a year after the King County District Attorney's Office decided not to file serious charges against Dave because there was insufficient evidence to prove he intentionally disregarded safety during the accident that resulted in the death of Jaahnavi Kandula led.

Legal action against the officer

The Seattle City Attorney’s Office later fined Dave $5,000 for negligent driving. City prosecutors reported that Dave was driving at speeds of up to 74 mph (119 km/h) on a road with a 25 mph (40 km/h) speed limit before hitting Kandula. After initially challenging the fine, Dave recently agreed to pay the fine, complete an eight-hour traffic safety course within a year and complete 40 hours of community service by Sept. 30, court documents show.

Public outrage and further developments

The death of Kandula sparked a wave of outrage, especially after a Recording from a body camera another officer had shown up. In that recording, the officer laughed and claimed that Kandula's life had "limited value" and that the city should "just write a check." Diplomats from India called for an investigation. The civic board found the comments by Officer Daniel Auderer, who was a union leader, damaged the department's reputation and undermined public trust. Auderer was later released.

Kandula family lawsuit

Kandula's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and Dave.