A Seattle police officer who hit and killed a graduate pupil from India along with his car whereas responding to an overdose name in January 2023 has been fired, Seattle’s interim police chief introduced Monday.
Interim police chief Sue Rahr wrote in an e-mail to workers that she fired Kevin Dave after the Seattle Office of Police Accountability decided he had violated 4 division insurance policies, together with one requiring officers to be chargeable for safely working a patrol car, in reference to the loss of life of Jaahnavi Kandula, in accordance with The Seattle Times.
“I imagine the officer didn’t intend to harm anybody that evening and that he was attempting to get to a attainable overdose sufferer as shortly as attainable,” Rahr wrote.
2 DEAD AFTER SEARCH FOR SASQUATCH IN WASHINGTON NATIONAL FOREST
A photograph of Jaahnavi Kandula is displayed with flowers, Jan. 29, 2023, in Seattle. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times through AP)
“However, I can’t settle for the tragic penalties of his harmful driving,” she continued. “His optimistic intent doesn’t mitigate the poor choice that precipitated the lack of a human life and introduced discredit to the Seattle Police Department.”
Rahr’s announcement comes practically a 12 months after King County prosecutors introduced they’d declined to file felony charges in opposition to Dave as a result of inadequate proof to show past an affordable doubt that Dave was consciously disregarding security when he struck and killed Kandula.
The Seattle City Attorney’s Office later issued Dave a $5,000 quotation for negligent driving.
The Seattle City Attorney’s Office issued Dave a $5,000 quotation for negligent driving. (iStock)
City prosecutors stated Dave was driving as quick as 74 mph on a road with a 25-mph velocity restrict earlier than hitting Kandula. Dave initially contested the ticket earlier than just lately agreeing to pay the high quality, full an eight-hour visitors security course inside a 12 months and carry out 40 hours of group service by Sept. 30.
Kandula’s loss of life sparked outrage within the U.S. and India, significantly after one other officer’s body-worn digicam footage was made public. In the recording, that officer, Daniel Auderer, laughed and instructed Kandula’s life had “restricted worth” and town ought to “simply write a examine.”
Diplomats from India referred to as for an investigation and Seattle’s civilian watchdog discovered the feedback by Auderer, who was a union chief, broken the police department’s popularity and undermined public belief.
City prosecutors stated Dave was driving as quick as 74 mph on a road with a 25-mph velocity restrict earlier than hitting Kandula. (Seattle Police Department / File)
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Auderer was finally fired over the feedback.
Kandula’s household has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in opposition to Dave and town, alleging that Kandula skilled extreme emotional misery, ache and struggling earlier than dying from her accidents. The household stated it was asking for $110 million in damages, plus $11,000. The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in September.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
