SEATTLE — The city of Seattle has reached a $29 million settlement with the family of a 23-year-old graduate student from India who was… Hit by a speeding police officer When I crossed the street in 2023.
Janavi Kandola was struck by Officer Kevin Dave, who was driving at up to 74 mph (119 km/h) in a 25 mph (40 km/h) zone while responding to a drug overdose call. He had his emergency lights on and used a siren at intersections.
“Janavi Kandola’s death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement will bring some sense of closure to the Kandola family,” City Attorney Erika Evans said in a statement Wednesday. “Janavi Kandola’s life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and our community.”
Kandola was working on a master’s degree in information systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus.
Lawyers for the Kandola family did not immediately respond to emails or phone calls seeking comment. The parties filed a notice of settlement in King County Superior Court last Friday. Local news site PubliCola first reported the agreement.
Kandola’s death sparked outrage and demonstrations, particularly after a recording emerged from another officer’s body camera, in which the officer laughed and suggested that Kandola’s life had “limited value” and that the city should “just write a check.”
Diplomats from India sought an investigation. The city’s civilian watchdog found that comments by Officer Daniel Oderer, who was a union leader, damaged the department’s reputation and undermined public confidence. Oderer was later fired He sued the city for wrongful termination. He said his comments were intended to criticize the way lawyers are likely to respond to a death.
The police department also fired the driving officer who was cited for negligent driving and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine. King County prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against him, saying they could not prove he was willfully disregarding safety when he struck Kandola.
About $20 million of the settlement is expected to be covered by city insurance.