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The city of Seattle in the United States has reached a settlement of USD 29 million (approximately Rs. 262 crore in Indian currency) in a negligence lawsuit filed by the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old graduate student, who was killed by a speeding police patrol vehicle in 2023, Seattle Times reported.

Seattle City Attorney Erica Evans made an official statement on Wednesday confirming the settlement.

“The death of Jaahnavi Kandula was deeply saddening. We hope this settlement brings some relief to the Kandula family. Jaahnavi Kandula’s life mattered. It mattered to her friends, family and community.”

Jaahnavi Kandula case background:

Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, from Andhra Pradesh was struck by police officer Kevin Dave, when she was the crossing the street in Seattle on January 23, 2023. The officer was driving at 74 mph in a 25 mph zone while responding to a drug overdose call. She was thrown 100 feet when she was struck by the patrol vehicle.

Two Seattle police officers fired:

Kevin Dave was later fired from the Seattle Police Department for violating department policies, standards and duties and for failing to modify his emergency response for the situation at hand.

Another Seattle Police Officer, Daniel Auderer, was fired for his insensitive comments in the aftermath of Kandula’s death.

In bodycam footage released by the Seattle Police Department, Auderer was heard laughing after the crash. He remarked saying, “Just write a check of $11,000. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value.” The comment outraged department officials and the community, leading to his termination.

The lawsuit filed at King County Superior court alleged that Jaahnavi Kandula experienced terror, emotional distress, pain and suffering before dying.