Seattle Police Officer Fired Over Fatal Crash Involving Indian Graduate Student

Seattle’s interim police chief, Sue Rahr, announced Monday the dismissal of a police officer involved in a fatal crash that killed an Indian graduate student in 2023. The incident occurred while the officer was responding to an overdose call.

Rahr stated in an email to employees that Officer Kevin Dave was terminated following an investigation by the Seattle Office of Police Accountability. The investigation concluded that Dave had violated four department policies, including one requiring the safe operation of a patrol vehicle, according to the Seattle Times.

“I believe the officer did not intend to hurt anyone that night and that he was trying to get to a possible overdose victim as quickly as possible,” Rahr wrote. “However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving. His positive intent does not mitigate the poor decision that caused the loss of a human life and brought discredit to the Seattle Police Department.”

The officer’s dismissal follows the crash that claimed the life of Jaahnavi Kandula, a graduate student from India. Despite the fatal outcome, King County prosecutors announced nearly a year ago that they would not pursue felony charges against Dave, citing insufficient evidence to prove he was consciously disregarding safety at the time of the crash.

The Associated Press reported that attempts to contact Dave and the Seattle Police Officers Guild, a police union, for comment were unsuccessful.

Key Points:

1. Officer Termination: Seattle’s interim police chief, Sue Rahr, announced the firing of Officer Kevin Dave for his involvement in a 2023 crash that killed Jaahnavi Kandula, a graduate student from India.
2. Policy Violations: The Seattle Office of Police Accountability found that Dave violated four department policies, including one about safely operating a patrol vehicle.
3. Chief’s Statement: Chief Rahr acknowledged that Dave did not intend harm but emphasized that the dangerous driving decision led to a tragic loss of life and tarnished the department’s reputation.
4. Prosecutors’ Decision: King County prosecutors declined to file felony charges against Dave, citing insufficient evidence to prove he consciously disregarded safety during the crash.
5. Unsuccessful Comments: Attempts to contact Officer Dave and the Seattle Police Officers Guild for comments were unsuccessful.
6. Incident Context: The crash occurred while Officer Dave was responding to an overdose call.