A Pasadena radiologist who was accused of deliberately steering his Tesla off a coastal California cliff while his wife and two young children were in the car will not serve jail time after the criminal case against him was dismissed.
Dharmesh Arvind Patel, 43, had been charged with three counts of attempted murder after authorities alleged he intentionally drove the family vehicle over the edge at the infamous Devil’s Slide stretch of Highway 1 in San Mateo County on January 2, 2023.
Patel, his wife Neha, their 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son were eventually rescued from the wrecked Tesla in a dramatic operation involving firefighters, paramedics and a Coast Guard helicopter.
Remarkably, all four family members survived the roughly 250-foot fall, although Patel, his wife and one of the children suffered significant injuries.
In 2024, following a review of the evidence, a San Mateo County judge ruled that Patel was “eligible and suitable” for California’s mental health diversion program, which permits qualifying defendants to avoid prosecution if they complete treatment approved by the court.
Judge Sharon Cho formally dismissed the charges during a hearing Monday morning after Patel finished the two-year, court-supervised diversion plan, which required medication, therapy, ongoing health assessments and GPS monitoring.
Police said Patel and his family were visiting relatives in the Bay Area for the holidays at the time of the crash.
They had been heading south on Highway 1 along the scenic 62-mile route from Pacifica to Santa Cruz when the Tesla abruptly veered off the roadway, with no apparent braking, before tumbling down the cliffside.
Doctor Dharmesh Avind Patel, who drove his Tesla off Highway 1 on the San Mateo County coast with his family inside, will avoid jail time, announced prosecutors on Monday
Patel had been charged with three counts of attempted murder after prosecutors said he was behind the wheel when the car veered off Highway 1 just south of Devil’s Slide in San Mateo County on January 2, 2023
Patel’s wife Neha and their two chidren, who are seven and four, were in the car at the time of the crash but remain alive after being rescued by first responders
Rescue crews descended the steep embankment while helicopters lifted the injured family members to safety.
Patel was arrested after leaving the hospital and charged with three counts of attempted murder, one for his wife and one for each of their children.
Prosecutors alleged he had deliberately driven off the cliff in an attempt to kill his family and himself.
READ MORE: Taylor Swift’s Wedding Guests Share Candid Details From the Celebration
Patel initially blamed the crash on tire pressure problems on his 2021 Tesla Model Y.
However, court documents revealed Patel’s wife told investigators he had been suffering from depression in the weeks leading up to the crash. She reportedly said there had been no mechanical failure and told first responders she believed he intentionally drove over the cliff after saying he was going to do so.
The allegations shocked the Bay Area, where Patel had worked as a radiologist and was known as a respected physician.
During lengthy court hearings, his defense attorneys did not dispute that he drove off the cliff but argued he was experiencing a severe mental health crisis that left him incapable of forming criminal intent.
Patel pleaded under the California Mental Health Division Law in 2024, stating he was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the crash and that the incident was not calculated. However his wife revealed to first responders at the time that it was deliberate
All criminal charges were dropped on Monday when the case was revisited after Patel had completing a two year course of supervised treatment, that were the grounds for his release
Psychiatrists diagnosed Patel with a major depressive disorder and testified that Patel had experienced paranoid delusions in the weeks leading up to the incident and was undergoing an acute psychiatric episode profoundly impairing his judgment.
His wife Neha publicly urged the court to prioritize treatment over incarceration, telling the judge she believed her husband could recover and that she wanted their family reunited.
In emotional testimony, she described her husband as ‘a devoted father whose life had been consumed by mental illness.’
Yet, San Mateo County prosecutors argued the seriousness of the allegations should disqualify Patel from diversion, insisting a man accused of attempting to murder his own wife and children should stand trial before a jury.
After hearing testimony from multiple psychiatric experts, the court ruled Patel met the legal requirements for diversion.
The decision placed the criminal case on hold in 2024 while Patel underwent intensive psychiatric treatment under strict judicial supervision.
Following Monday’s confirmation that Patel had completed treatment, the court dismissed the criminal case, returned his passport, and ordered the records sealed.
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, who had fiercely opposed diversion from the outset, acknowledged the court was obligated to dismiss the case once Patel completed treatment, though he continues to disagree with the law.
The prosecutor has long argued that attempted murder should not qualify for mental health diversion, warning that defendants accused of extremely violent crimes should still face trial.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office for comment.
