An Indian-origin doctor accused of attempting to kill his family by driving his Tesla off a 250-foot cliff in California in 2023 has had all charges dismissed after successfully completing a two-year mental health diversion programme.
The case against 45-year-old Dharmesh Patel was dropped in accordance with California law, which allows eligible defendants to have charges dismissed if they complete a court-approved mental health treatment plan.
Speaking to the Associated Press, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said the court had no option but to dismiss the charges once Patel met all the programme’s requirements.
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“The judge was required by the law to dismiss the charges. If the person who’s given mental health diversion follows the treatment plan, there’s nothing that can be done, and at the end of the two years, he gets it wiped out of his record,” Wagstaffe said.
The prosecutor had earlier argued that Patel should not have been granted mental health diversion because he was facing three counts of attempted murder.
The incident occurred on January 2, 2023, when Patel was travelling with his wife and their two children in Northern California. Authorities alleged that he intentionally drove the family’s Tesla off a 250-foot cliff. Remarkably, all four occupants survived the crash with minor injuries.
According to investigators, Patel’s wife initially told first responders that her husband had deliberately caused the crash. She later informed authorities that she did not wish to pursue criminal charges against him.
During psychiatric evaluations, Patel reportedly said he had been suffering from severe depression and believed his children, then aged four and seven, were at risk of being kidnapped and trafficked. He told doctors these delusions influenced his actions.
Patel spent nearly a year in jail without bail before being released in 2024 to undergo outpatient psychiatric treatment. His defence expert, Dr Mark Patterson, diagnosed him with major depressive disorder accompanied by psychotic features and anxious distress, and told the court Patel had shown improvement during treatment.
As part of the conditions for his release, Patel lived with his parents in San Mateo County, wore a GPS monitoring device, surrendered both his passport and driver’s licence, and reported to the court every week.
The Medical Board of California also suspended his licence to practise medicine while the criminal case was pending.
Following progress in his treatment, Patel’s wife and children moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he was living. The court later allowed him to spend time with his family and drive with them after determining he had complied with the terms of the mental health programme.
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