A judge in San Francisco dismissed all charges on Monday against a father who allegedly attempted to kill his family by driving off a cliff in 2023.
Dharmesh Patel, a radiologist from Pasadena, California, was accused of intentionally steering his Tesla off an 80-meter-high cliff known as “Devil’s Slide” along the Pacific Coast Highway. At the time of the incident on January 2, 2023, his wife and two young children, aged 4 and 7, were injured but thankfully survived, according to sources.
The judge dropped three counts of attempted murder after the 45-year-old completed a two-year mental health diversion program under the guidance of a psychiatrist and family therapist from Stanford University, as stated by San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaff. Reports indicate that the San Mateo County Superior Court allowed Patel to enter this program in 2024, after a doctor testified he was experiencing a psychotic episode due to major depressive disorder when he drove off the cliff.
This diversion program, established in California in 2018 and expanded in 2023, aims to emphasize treatment for certain defendants with mental illness rather than punishment. While the program does exclude serious offenses like murder and sexual abuse of minors, it does include attempted murder, making Patel eligible.
According to Wagstaff, the judge had no legal option but to drop the charges, given that Patel fulfilled all program requirements. Nevertheless, the attorney expressed disappointment and mentioned that he and other California district attorneys are pushing for legislative changes to prevent those charged with attempted murder from accessing such programs.
Wagstaff commented that the crime was too severe and maintaining public safety is crucial. Allowing someone who premeditated to harm their family to be diverted doesn’t seem wise.
During the road trip when Patel’s car went over the cliff, testimonies from two doctors suggested he was suffering from hallucinations and believed that his children were at risk of being trafficked. They noted that external issues, such as the media coverage of high-profile trafficking cases and other global crises, had negatively impacted his mental health.
Immediately after the crash, Patel’s wife Neha believed he had acted intentionally, expressing the need for a psychiatric evaluation. Patel stayed in jail without bail until 2024 before moving in with his parents in San Mateo County, where he began a mental health program under GPS monitoring. He was required to surrender his driver’s license and passport and report weekly to the court. Neha and their children relocated to the same area, and the court later permitted Patel to interact with them.
At a 2024 court hearing, Neha characterized the incident as a “mental health event beyond our understanding,” affirming her belief that having Patel home would be beneficial for their family. She described him as a caring individual and expressed their need for him in their lives.
Following the dismissal of the charges, Neha and Patel embraced, highlighting the emotional weight of the situation. Recently, Governor Gavin Newsom tightened rules concerning mental health diversion, allowing judges to deny such requests if they believe a defendant poses a danger to public safety. This change comes after previous measures had removed attempted murder from the list of disqualifying charges.
