A Pasadena radiologist charged with trying to kill his family by driving off a Highway 1 cliff is angling for a mental health reprieve, as his lawyer announced intentions to divert the serious criminal case into a mental health treatment program. Dharmesh Arvin Patel faces life behind bars if tried and found guilty. Nevertheless, his attorney claims the doctor was in the throes of Major Depressive Disorder during the crash on January 2, according to court details reported by KRON4.
Patel, who practiced at a plush Los Angeles medical facility, allegedly drove his Tesla off the cliff with his wife and two small children inside after a holiday trip to the Bay Area. The vehicle plunged 250 feet onto rocks below, where California Highway Patrol officers found his severely injured wife screaming that Patel had intentionally driven off the cliff, the state's case underscores. "He's depressed, he's a doctor, He said he was going to drive off the cliff. He purposely drove off," Patel's wife, Neha Bubna, relayed to a CHP officer while airlifted to a hospital, the San Mateo County District Attorney shared.
UPDATE: Dharmesh Arvin Patel (42) is seeking mental health diversion with a hearing set for April 24 @ 9AM. Patel is charged with 3 counts attempted murder, alleged to have deliberately driven his Tesla off a 250 foot cliff on HWY 1 with his wife & 2 children in the vehicle. pic.twitter.com/VHYiJsWz7a
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) February 1, 2024
Now confronted with three counts of attempted murder and domestic violence, the 42-year-old's legal representation asserts that mental illness influenced his actions, advocating for his participation in a mental health diversion program. If accepted by the court at a hearing scheduled for April 24, the legal maneuver could result in Patel's release and a wiped-clean slate, contingent upon successful mental health treatment.
Despite the gravity of Patel's alleged actions, the case's fate now hinges on the December 13 Mental Health Diversion Court hearing. "If the court ultimately rules the defendant is suitable for mental health diversion and grants diversion, criminal proceedings are suspended and there is no trial or conviction," detailed the DA's Office. Anchored in a Redwood City jail, Patel remains without bail, his family's survival from the incident described as nothing short of a "miracle," by District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe in statements previously made to the press.
