'I fucked up': Seattle police officer admits he made a mistake on bodycam after fatally plowing into grad student at 74 miles per hour while responding to emergency call
Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, was fatally struck by Seattle Officer Kevin Dave's police cruiser doing 74 in a 25 mph zone on January 23
By Ruth Bashinsky
Daily Mail
July 23, 2023
Newly released bodycam footage shows Office Kevin Dave performing CPR on the victim moments after hitting her with his cruiser
Newly released body cam video shows the moment a Seattle police officer raced down a street while responding to a call and fatally hit a 23-year-old Northeast University graduate student in the crosswalk.
Footage showed officer Kevin Dave behind the wheel of his police cruiser driving at a speed of 74 miles per hour in a 25 miles per hour zone before he slammed into Jaahnavi Kandula.
Kandula, was crossing the intersection of Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street near the college campus on January 23. She died at the hospital a day later.
Dave was heard calling into radio dispatch for backup after reports of a struck pedestrian. He was seen performing CPR on the young woman until several other first responders arrived at the scene.
Police ruled the incident an accident, and the officer returned to duty days later.
Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, who was from India and had been studying at Northeast University since 2021, was crossing the intersection of Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street near the college campus on January 23
The bodycam footage was first published by Publicola. According to the news outlet, the King County Prosecutor’s Office is still deciding whether to charge Dave with a crime.
The intersection's crosswalks are heavily marked by bright yellow reflective indicators, a large neon sign and are surrounded by bike lanes and a wide median.
The officer was heard on the bodycam telling a responding officer, 'Lights were on. I was chirping the sirens…she was in the crosswalk.'
'She saw me, she started running through the crosswalk. Slammed on my breaks. Started staying back where she should before crossing.'
The video showed the officer speeding past red lights and slowing down slightly before the young woman was hit.
Dave was on his way to a priority-one call, classified as the highest importance of calls, as per the police department. The call was regarding a man who had overdosed on drugs but did not need to be taken to the hospital.
The video recording also revealed intermittent sirens coming from the officer's patrol car that were not continuous.
Cops said they were not investigating the wreck as a use of force case and noted they did not believe the officer had intended to hit Kandula.
'At this point in the investigation, we have no reason to believe the officer intended to hit that woman,' a Seattle police spokesperson previously said.
According to the department, Dave has worked as an officer since November 2019.
Police said the officer was not suspended but was merely told to take off their shift following the crash as a 'release day' to deal with a 'traumatic or upsetting' experience.
Video footage shows the officer behind the wheel driving at a speed of 74 miles per hour in a 25 miles per hour zone
The video shows that the officer's sirens were on only intermittently before hitting the victim
The officer in the collision was identified as Kevin Dave who has been on the Seattle Police department since 2019. He is seen speaking to other officers after the crash
After the incident, Seattle police said they would be withholding information about the police report for the investigation, and 'in consultation' with Kandula's family.
'We acknowledge that there is understandably tremendous interest in the surrounding facts, but for purposes of both preserving the integrity of the investigation and respecting the family's right to privacy will not be putting out information over and beyond what has already been provided,' the department said in a statement to DailyMail.com
'We will provide all publicly releasable information, including the report, once we are able to do so, and in consultation with the family.'
'We extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Kandula’s family and friends. This incident is a terrible tragedy for everyone involved,' the department added.
Kandula, traveled to study at the university from her native India to obtain a Masters degree in information technology.
Her devastated family described her as a 'brilliant' person.
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