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SEATTLE — <\/span>The city of Seattle has reached a $29 million settlement with the family of a 23-year-old graduate student from India who was struck by a speeding police officer<\/a> as she crossed a street in 2023.<\/p>\n Jaahnavi Kandula was hit by Officer Kevin Dave, who was driving as fast as 74 mph (119 kph) in a 25-mph (40-kph) zone as he responded to a drug overdose call. He had his emergency lights on and had been using his siren at intersections.<\/p>\n \u201cJaahnavi Kandula\u2019s death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement brings some sense of closure to the Kandula family,\u201d City Attorney Erika Evans said in a statement Wednesday. \u201cJaahnavi Kandula\u2019s life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n Kandula had been working toward a master\u2019s degree in information systems at the Seattle campus of Northeastern University.<\/p>\n Attorneys for Kandula’s family did not immediately respond to emails or phone calls seeking comment. The parties filed a notice of settlement in King County Superior Court last Friday. The local news website PubliCola first reported about the agreement. <\/p>\n Kandula\u2019s death ignited outrage and demonstrations, particularly after a recording from another officer\u2019s body camera surfaced in which the officer laughed and suggested Kandula\u2019s life had \u201climited value\u201d and the city should \u201cjust write a check.\u201d<\/p>\n Diplomats from India sought an investigation. The city\u2019s civilian watchdog found the comments by Officer Daniel Auderer, who was a union leader, damaged the department\u2019s reputation and undermined public trust. Auderer was later fired<\/a> and has sued the city for wrongful termination. He said his remarks were intended to criticize how attorneys were likely to respond to the death.<\/p>\n The police department also fired the driving officer, who was cited for negligent driving and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. King County prosecutors declined to file felony charges against him, saying they could not prove he was deliberately disregarding safety when he struck Kandula.<\/p>\n About $20 million of the settlement is expected to be covered by the city’s insurance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n