A Seattle police officer who hit and killed a graduate scholar from India along with his automobile 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 electronic mail to staff that she fired Kevin Dave after the Seattle Workplace of Police Accountability decided he had violated 4 division insurance policies, together with one requiring officers to be accountable for safely working a patrol automobile, in reference to the demise of Jaahnavi Kandula, in keeping with The Seattle Times.
“I consider 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 Instances through AP)
“Nevertheless, I can not settle for the tragic penalties of his harmful driving,” she continued. “His constructive intent doesn’t mitigate the poor choice that prompted the lack of a human life and introduced discredit to the Seattle Police Division.”
Rahr’s announcement comes almost a yr after King County prosecutors introduced they’d declined to file felony charges in opposition to Dave resulting from inadequate proof to show past an affordable doubt that Dave was consciously disregarding security when he struck and killed Kandula.
The Seattle Metropolis Legal professional’s Workplace later issued Dave a $5,000 quotation for negligent driving.
The Seattle Metropolis Legal professional’s Workplace issued Dave a $5,000 quotation for negligent driving. (iStock)
Metropolis prosecutors mentioned Dave was driving as quick as 74 mph on a avenue with a 25-mph velocity restrict earlier than hitting Kandula. Dave initially contested the ticket earlier than just lately agreeing to pay the nice, full an eight-hour site visitors security course inside a yr and carry out 40 hours of neighborhood service by Sept. 30.
Kandula’s demise sparked outrage within the U.S. and India, significantly after one other officer’s body-worn digicam footage was made public. Within the recording, that officer, Daniel Auderer, laughed and urged Kandula’s life had “restricted worth” and the town ought to “simply write a test.”
Diplomats from India known as for an investigation and Seattle’s civilian watchdog discovered the feedback by Auderer, who was a union chief, broken the police department’s status and undermined public belief.
Metropolis prosecutors mentioned Dave was driving as quick as 74 mph on a avenue with a 25-mph velocity restrict earlier than hitting Kandula. (Seattle Police Division / File)
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Auderer was ultimately fired over the feedback.
Kandula’s household has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in opposition to Dave and the town, alleging that Kandula skilled extreme emotional misery, ache and struggling earlier than dying from her accidents. The household mentioned it was asking for $110 million in damages, plus $11,000. The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in September.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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