An Indian-American doctor named Dharmesh Patel, who resides in the US, will not be serving jail time currently after driving his Tesla off a cliff with his wife and two children inside. This incident, believed to be an attempt to harm them, has resulted in Patel being slated for mental health treatment instead. Patel, who works as a radiologist in California, reportedly suffered a psychotic breakdown. Psychologists testified that he believed his children were at risk of being sex trafficked, which they cited as the reason for the tragic crash.
Following the plunge over 250 feet, the Tesla careened off the cliff. Despite the severity of the crash, the family remarkably survived and was rescued from the severely damaged vehicle. Neha Patel acknowledged that her husband intentionally drove the car off the cliff but later stated that she opposed any prosecution of him.
Doctors indication
Doctors indicated that Mr. Patel had schizoaffective disorder and a major depressive disorder. They explained that in the weeks leading up to the crash, he had been experiencing auditory hallucinations and believed he was being stalked. This paranoid and delusional thinking led him to act in what he believed was a protective manner for his family’s safety.The psychologist testified in court that Mr. Patel was worried about his children potentially being abducted, possibly for sexual exploitation.
On Thursday, a US court granted Mr. Patel eligibility for a program allowing individuals with mental illness who have committed a crime to opt for mental health treatment instead of incarceration. The law mandates that such eligibility hinges on the illness significantly contributing to the crime.
Superior Court Judge Susan M. Jakubowski determined Mr. Patel’s qualification for the program was based on medical evaluations and authorised his release to his parents’ custody in California. He will be subject to GPS monitoring and required to report to the court weekly. Furthermore, he is restricted from travelling outside the country and must surrender both his driving licence and passport.
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In the hospital, Patel’s family reportedly informed paramedics that “he attempted to kill us,” as per a Daily Mail report. However, his wife later pleaded with authorities to allow her husband to return home. Neha Patel’s poignant testimony in court underscored the anguish their family was experiencing. She shared that their young son kept asking her, “When will Daddy be back?” Dharmesh Patel, charged with three counts of attempted murder, was held in jail.
According to the Orange County Register, a psychologist testified last week that Dharmesh Patel experienced psychosis and held delusions about his children being abducted and harmed before the crash. The report also mentioned that these delusions were influenced by the national fentanyl crisis and the conflict in Ukraine.
Dharmesh Patel, a radiologist at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Los Angeles, is applying for acceptance into a two-year program focused on mental health treatment as an alternative to going to trial, where he could potentially receive a life sentence in prison.
The hearing
During the hearing, psychologist Mark Patterson noted that the father exhibited strong motivation for the program and was receptive to treatment. Neha Patel had previously told investigators that her husband was suicidal and had deliberately driven off the road, but she had appealed to authorities not to pursue prosecution. She explained that he was depressed and a doctor, and had indicated his intention to drive off the cliff.
Later, in her testimony reported by the SF Chronicle on Thursday, Neha Patel mentioned that her husband had never previously experienced such an episode in their 25 years together. She emphasised that now that they understood he had a treatable condition, there would be changes. She stressed that the health and safety of her family was of utmost importance.
