The City of Seattle agreed in February 2026 to pay $29,011,000 to the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, the 23-year-old Northeastern University graduate student struck and killed by a speeding Seattle police SUV in January 2023. The Jaahnavi Kandula settlement resolves a wrongful death lawsuit filed by her parents in King County Superior Court and ranks among the largest police-related payouts in Seattle’s history. The unusual trailing figure of $11,000 was kept in the total on purpose: it mirrors a Seattle police officer’s recorded remark, made the day after Kandula’s death, that her life had “limited value” and the city should “just write a check” for that amount.1KOMO News. Settlement for Jaahnavi Kandula Reflects Disparaging Remarks Officer Made After Her Death
What the Lawsuit Alleged
Kandula’s parents, Vijaya Laksmi Gundapuneedi and Sreekanth Kandula, filed suit on September 6, 2024, against the City of Seattle and Officer Kevin Dave, the officer who was driving the patrol SUV. The complaint, prepared by attorney Vonda Sargent, pleaded negligence, wrongful death, assault and battery, negligent hiring and retention of Dave, and failure to maintain a safe intersection. It alleged Dave was operating the vehicle without a valid Washington driver’s license and that the construction zone at Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street had been left in an unsafe condition for pedestrians.2PubliCola. Jaahnavi Kandula’s Family Sues City for $110 Million Plus $11,0003Northwest Asian Weekly. Jaahnavi Kandula’s Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Dave was driving 74 miles per hour in a 25 mph zone, responding to a 911 call about a possible cocaine overdose. He had not turned on his siren, only “chirping” it intermittently. He struck Kandula as she crossed westbound in a marked crosswalk, and the impact threw her roughly 138 feet.4PubliCola. Kevin Dave, Officer Who Struck and Killed 23-Year-Old Student, Appeals His Firing5Huntington News. Seattle Police Officer Fired Two Years After Fatally Striking Northeastern Grad Student
The family’s complaint sought $110 million in damages plus an added $11,000, a figure chosen as a direct reference to the officer’s recorded comments.2PubliCola. Jaahnavi Kandula’s Family Sues City for $110 Million Plus $11,000
Why $29,011,000, Not a Round Number
The day after the collision, Seattle Police Officer Daniel Auderer — then vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild — was sent to the scene to evaluate Dave for impairment. His body camera captured him on the phone with the union president, laughing. “She is dead,” Auderer said, before adding, “Yeah, just write a check. Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26 anyway. She had limited value.” Kandula was 23.6PBS NewsHour. In Recording, a Seattle Police Officer Joked After Woman’s Death
Seattle Police released the footage on September 11, 2023, after an internal employee flagged it. Auderer later told the Office of Police Accountability that the comments were “sarcasm” mocking how attorneys value life in wrongful death cases; investigators rejected that explanation.6PBS NewsHour. In Recording, a Seattle Police Officer Joked After Woman’s Death7PubliCola. Decision on Discipline for Daniel Auderer Imminent
The family’s lawyers kept the $11,000 in the final number. Sargent said the figure was preserved to “reflect the seriousness of what was lost and underscore the value of her life.”1KOMO News. Settlement for Jaahnavi Kandula Reflects Disparaging Remarks Officer Made After Her Death
How the City Is Paying It
The parties filed a notice of settlement in King County Superior Court on February 4, 2026.8The New York Times. Seattle Reaches $29M Settlement in Jaahnavi Kandula Death Of the $29,011,000 total, approximately $20 million is expected to be covered by the city’s insurance. Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans said the agreement was intended to bring “some sense of closure to the Kandula family.”9KUOW. Seattle Reaches $29M Settlement With Family of Grad Student From India
Kandula’s father, Srikanth Kandula, died of cardiac arrest in March 2026, two days before the settlement was publicly announced.10The Indian Express. Lifetime of Grief: Jaahnavi Kandula Family and the Seattle Settlement
What Happened to the Officers
Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr fired Daniel Auderer in July 2024. Rahr said the “dehumanizing laughter” had, for many in the community, overtaken even the death itself as a source of outrage, and called it “a betrayal of that sacred trust.”11ABC 33/40. Fired Seattle Police Officer Says Limited Value Comment Was Taken Out of Context Auderer has since filed a claim against the city alleging wrongful termination, retaliation for his union work, and the leaking of personal information. The claim, reported at $25 million, was pending in King County courts in early 2026.12PubliCola. City Settles With Family of Jaahnavi Kandula
Rahr fired Kevin Dave in January 2025 after the Office of Police Accountability concluded he violated four department policies, including failure to safely operate his vehicle, improper use of emergency lights, and failure to modify speed during an emergency response. An OPA report Rahr signed in October 2024 found Dave’s actions met the elements of vehicular homicide under Washington law.4PubliCola. Kevin Dave, Officer Who Struck and Killed 23-Year-Old Student, Appeals His Firing Dave appealed his firing to the Public Safety Civil Service Commission on January 10, 2025, arguing it lacked “justifiable cause” under the city charter. The commission had not yet ruled on his request for reinstatement as of the most recent reporting.13MyNorthwest. Seattle Cop Fired for Hitting, Killing Woman in Crosswalk Appealing Decision
No Felony Charges in the Death
The settlement is a civil resolution. There is no parallel felony prosecution. In February 2024, King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion declined to file felony charges against Dave, saying her office lacked “sufficient evidence under Washington state law to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt.” Prosecutors treated Dave’s run as a response to a “legitimate emergency,” which triggered certain protections under Washington’s emergency vehicle statutes, even though later reporting established the overdose caller was lucid and standing outside his building when he dialed 911.14KOMO News. Jaahnavi Kandula: Seattle Officer Fired After Crash That Killed Student4PubliCola. Kevin Dave, Officer Who Struck and Killed 23-Year-Old Student, Appeals His Firing The following month, the Seattle City Attorney’s office issued Dave a traffic citation for second-degree negligent driving carrying a $5,000 fine.
What Seattle Changed Afterward
In October 2024, the Seattle Police Department released a revised emergency driving policy, shaped by pressure from the Community Police Commission and Seattle’s Indian American community. Officers must now drive no faster than their training allows and only as fast as is “reasonably necessary” to arrive safely. Emergency lights and sirens became the default for emergency responses, with turning them off treated as the exception. Before exceeding posted speed limits, officers are required to weigh call priority, pedestrian visibility, road and weather conditions, and the character of the location.15PubliCola. Seattle Police Department Updates Its Emergency Driving Policy
The Community Police Commission had asked for specific numerical caps on how far above a posted limit officers could drive. SPD declined, saying required speed calculations would distract officers during emergencies. All sworn officers were scheduled to receive updated high-speed emergency driving training in 2025.15PubliCola. Seattle Police Department Updates Its Emergency Driving Policy
A fully protected intersection at Dexter and Thomas, where Kandula was killed, opened in May 2024. The traffic signal planned for that corner had been delayed by funding shortfalls for years before the collision.16Seattle Bike Blog. Critical Mass Will Ride to Dexter and Thomas to Hold a Vigil for Jaahnavi Kandula