Seattle officer who hit Kandula agrees to $5,000 fine as part of negligent driving penalty
Dec 18, 2024, 6:29 PM | Updated: 6:46 pm
Dashcam video from the night Jaahnavi Kandula was struck. (Seattle Police Department)
(Seattle Police Department)
A Seattle Police Department (SPD) officer has agreed to pay a $5,000 fine as part of a penalty tied to hitting and killing a 23-year-old woman walking through a South Lake Union crosswalk in January 2023.
Officials said SPD Officer Kevin Dave was responding alongside the Seattle Fire Department to a 911 call of a reported overdose. Dave had been driving at 74 miles per hour before striking Jaahnvi Kandula in the Dexter Avenue and Thomas Street crosswalk, according to an SPD investigation. Investigators confirmed the officer鈥檚 lights were flashing and the siren was being toggled on and off as he approached the intersection.
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The , filed Wednesday in Seattle Municipal Court, comes more than 9 months after City Attorney Ann Davison鈥檚 office filed the charge of second-degree negligent driving against Dave.
鈥淭his is frustrating for a lot of people,鈥� said Mark Lindquist, a former prosecutor for Pierce County who now runs his own private law firm. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e wondering, 鈥楬ow do you kill someone and walk away with just a fine?鈥� The answer is that the city can鈥檛 charge felonies.鈥�
Previous coverage: Seattle attorney鈥檚 office files citation regarding officer who killed Jaahnavi Kandula
The King County Prosecuting Attorney鈥檚 Office previously decided not to charge Dave with a crime. The prosecuting attorney said there was no evidence he drove with disregard for the safety of others.
鈥淭he city charged the highest crime it could 鈥� negligent driving 鈥� and collected the highest fine it could — $5,000,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 all the city can really do.鈥�
More details: Prosecutors will not charge Seattle officer in death of Jaahnavi Kandula
Lindquist described the court鈥檚 filing as Dave pleading guilty or 鈥渘o contest鈥� to the traffic infraction.
In addition to the fine, Dave will have to avoid any serious traffic offenses for one year 鈥� such as any moving violations that cause a crash, DUI or reckless driving. But his license will not be suspended, as once was threatened by the city, so long as he fulfills his side of the agreement. He will have to complete what the court records refer to as an 鈥�8-hour traffic safety course.鈥�
鈥淔or a police officer, that class is a bit of a joke,鈥� Lindquist remarked.
He criticized the agreement, saying it will 鈥渂affle鈥� much of the public, but he suggested Kandula鈥檚 family could later see justice through a civil lawsuit.
Sam Campbell is a reporter, editor and anchor at 成人X站 Newsradio. You can read more of Sam鈥檚 stories聽here. Follow Sam on聽, or聽email him here.
