A California court has heard the disturbing circumstances surrounding a radiologist's decision to drive his family off a cliff in their Tesla last year.
As reported by the New York Post, Dr. Dharmesh Patel is now facing three counts of attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Appearing before the San Mateo County Superior Court on Wednesday, his lawyers argued for his diversion to mental health treatment rather than face trial, as they say Dr. Patel had suffered a "major depressive order” and experienced a “psychotic” break.
The incident - which occurred on January 2, 2023 - saw Patel, his wife, and their two young children survive a terrifying fall off the notorious "Devil’s Slide" in San Mateo County.
The crumpled Tesla Model Y came to a rest on rocks 75 meters below, with the family narrowly escaping death.
While Patel's wife Neha and their seven-year-old child sustained serious injuries in the crash, their four-year-old managed to escape with relatively minor harm.
During the court proceedings, two doctors provided critical insights into Patel's mental state at the time of the incident.
Dr. Mark Patterson, an expert witness, detailed Patel's struggles with major depressive disorder, highlighting his paranoid and delusional thinking in the weeks leading up to the event.
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According to Dr. Patterson, Patel believed his family was at risk of abduction and sexual molestation, driven by concerns about the proliferation of fentanyl and global conflicts such as the war in Ukraine.
Per the Orange County Register, Patterson said: "He was concerned that his children were at risk of being kidnapped, possibly for sexual molestation. … There were concerns surrounding the explosion of fentanyl in this country and the war in Ukraine."
While under cross-examination, Dr. Patterson highlighted more of Patel's anxious behavior, such as his tendency to bring newspaper clippings to his wife.
Another medical professional, Dr. James Armontrout, said that he would be prepared to provide treatment to Patel if diverted from the criminal justice system.
Prior to the incident, Patel worked as a radiologist at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Los Angeles.
However, following his arrest, the Medical Board of California intervened, successfully lobbying to ban Patel from practicing medicine due to the perceived threat he posed to the public.
At the time of the incident, Patel had attempted to blame the crash on his Tesla malfunctioning. But his wife slammed these claims, reportedly telling rescuers: “He’s depressed. He’s a doctor. He said he was going to drive off the cliff. He purposefully drove off."
Patel will once again return to court in May.
