SEATTLE (Diya TV) — The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced no criminal charges will be filed against Seattle Police Department (SPD) officer Kevin Dave in connection with the tragic death of 23-year-old graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula. The decision comes after an extensive review of the evidence, which, according to the prosecutors, was insufficient to meet the legal threshold for pursuing criminal charges.
Kandula, a student at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus, was struck and killed by Officer Dave’s police cruiser while crossing a South Lake Union crosswalk on January 23, 2023. The incident sparked outrage and raised questions about police accountability and road safety.
In a statement addressing the decision, Leesa Manion of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office expressed condolences to Kandula’s family and acknowledged the profound impact of her death on communities both locally and globally. However, the statement emphasized the legal constraints faced by prosecutors, stating that the evidence did not meet the necessary standard to pursue criminal charges against Officer Dave.
According to a report released by the KCPAO, Officer Dave was responding to a call and driving at 74 mph with his sirens activated at the time of the collision. Despite attempts to slow down, he was unable to avoid hitting Kandula, who was crossing the intersection.
The report highlighted the challenges of proving criminal negligence in such cases, noting that while Officer Dave’s speed was a contributing factor to the collision, there was insufficient evidence to establish that he consciously disregarded safety. Witnesses near the intersection at the time of the crash reported hearing and/or seeing the police lights and sirens, but there were conflicting accounts regarding Kandula’s awareness of the approaching patrol vehicle.
Photographs from the patrol car’s dash camera showed Kandula attempting to evade the oncoming vehicle at the last moment. The report also mentioned the presence of noise-canceling Apple Airpod Pro earbuds in the debris near the crosswalk, raising questions about whether Kandula may have been unable to hear the sirens due to wearing earbuds.
