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Doctor's family cliff plunge charges dropped after mental health program
8 Jul
Summary
- Charges dismissed for radiologist who drove Tesla off cliff.
- Patel completed a two-year mental health diversion program.
- California law allowed mental health treatment instead of trial.
Charges have been dismissed against a radiologist who drove his family off a 250-foot cliff in 2023. Dharmesh Patel, 45, had been charged with attempted murder after the incident along the Northern California coast. A judge dismissed the charges on Monday, citing Patel's successful completion of a two-year mental health diversion program.
Patel's defense attorneys had successfully argued that he was experiencing major depression with hallucinations at the time of the incident. California law, which went into effect in 2023, allowed for mental health diversion. This program requires participants to follow a treatment plan, and upon completion, the charges are dismissed and removed from their record.
Prosecutors had opposed diversion for Patel, and continue to advocate for attempted murder charges to be excluded from eligibility for such programs. Patel was released in 2024 to complete outpatient treatment, under court supervision. His wife had testified that she forgave him and wished for his return home, stating her children missed their father.
