Doctor Who Drove Tesla Off Cliff With Family Inside Won't Stand Trial Or Serve Jail Time

A father-of-two who was involved in a dramatic incident where he drove his Tesla off a cliff with his wife and kids inside will not be spending more time in jail.

Back in January 2023, Dharmesh Patel, a California radiologist, drove his car off the road at a spot known as 'Devil's Side'.

At the time, his wife and two children, who were four and seven years old, were also in the car.

Miraculously, all four survived the terrifying event.

The incident took place on 2 January, 2023. San Mateo County Sheriff's Office

After the incident, Patel's wife revealed to the police that he had intentionally driven off the cliff.

She told the officers, "He drove off. He’s depressed. He’s a doctor. He said he was going to drive off the cliff. He drove off on purpose."

Patel faced charges of three counts of attempted murder and pleaded not guilty.

As the case progressed, Patel requested a mental health diversion, which could potentially keep him out of jail.

While he faced charges that could have led to decades in prison, his wife Neha spoke out about her desire for him to return home so that their family could be 'restored'.

She passionately stated in court, "I am pleading with the court to grant him his mental health diversion.

"We need him in our lives and it has been over a year and a half since my children or I have seen or spoken to Dharmesh. We are not a family without him."

Dharmesh Patel has been granted a mental health diversion. Facebook

Neha also added, "The mental health treatment will not only restore him back to himself, but will restore our family."

Her appeals were successful, as Patel was granted a mental health diversion.

San Mateo Superior Court Judge Susan Jakubowski confirmed that Patel qualified for the diversion due to his mental health condition.

The district attorney’s office released a statement explaining, "Weighing all factors, the court determined the defendant was suitable and granted the defense request for mental health diversion."

Despite opposition from the DA, the decision was ultimately up to the court, as per California law.

People were amazed that the family-of-four survived the ordeal. San Mateo County Sheriff's Office

Patel is set to be held in jail for a few more weeks before being released to live under house arrest at his parents' home in San Mateo County, as reported by NBC News. 

While there, he will be allowed to leave only for treatment or court hearings.

Additionally, he will be required to wear a GPS monitor and surrender both his driver’s license and passport.

A hearing to review the mental health diversion was scheduled for July 1.