Charges dropped against California radiologist who drove Tesla carrying family off cliff
Charges Dropped Against California Radiologist in Cliff Crash Case
Mental Health Diversion Program Leads to Case Dismissal
Charges dropped against California radiologist who drove – A San Mateo County judge has officially dismissed all criminal charges against Dharmesh Patel, a radiologist who was accused of attempting to murder his family members in early 2023. The decision follows Patel’s successful completion of a comprehensive two-year mental health diversion program. According to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, the dismissal occurred on Monday after Patel finished his treatment with both a Stanford psychiatrist and a family therapist earlier this week.
The incident that sparked this legal journey happened on January 2, 2023, when Patel drove his Tesla vehicle off a steep 250-foot cliff along the Pacific Coast Highway in San Mateo County. His wife and two young children were passengers in the car at the time. All four individuals survived what one official described as an “absolute miracle.” The children, who were four and seven years old during the crash, sustained injuries but recovered from the traumatic event.
Prosecutors had originally charged Patel with attempted murder following the dramatic incident. However, in 2024, a different judge determined that Patel would receive mental health treatment rather than face a traditional trial. His defense attorneys successfully argued that he was experiencing episodic major depression accompanied by hallucinations when he drove his family off the cliff. Under California law, which took effect in 2023, Patel qualified for mental health diversion.
“The judge was required by the law to dismiss the charges,” Wagstaffe explained regarding the Monday ruling.
The legal framework governing Patel’s case provides clear guidance on outcomes. Wagstaffe noted that when someone receives mental health diversion and adheres to their treatment plan, the charges are automatically removed from their record after the two-year period concludes. “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,” the district attorney stated.
San Mateo prosecutors had opposed the diversion for Patel, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Wagstaffe and several other California district attorneys have contended that attempted murder cases should be excluded from mental health diversion eligibility. They are currently collaborating with lawmakers to amend the legislation. “We’ll try again in the future,” Wagstaffe said about the law. “We’re not giving up.”
Family Reconciliation and License Surrender
Following his arrest, Patel remained in jail without bail until his release in 2024. He was then permitted to complete an outpatient mental health treatment program. During this period, he relocated to live with his parents in San Mateo County and was monitored through a GPS bracelet. The court imposed several restrictions, including surrendering his driver’s license and passport, along with weekly check-ins with the court.
Meanwhile, Patel’s wife and children also moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. The court eventually permitted him to spend time with his family and take them on drives. His wife testified that she had forgiven her husband and did not wish for him to face prosecution. She emphasized that her children missed their father and wanted him to return home.
After the charges were dismissed on Monday, Patel walked to the courtroom gallery where his wife was waiting. The couple then left the building together, as reported by the Mercury News. Months after his initial arrest, the Medical Board of California had barred Patel from practicing medicine while he faced the attempted murder charges. The board announced on Tuesday that Patel surrendered his California medical license in December.
Patel’s attorney, Joshua Bentley, did not immediately return a message on Tuesday when asked for comment. At the time of the crash, Patel was traveling with his family on a road trip through the Bay Area. He told a psychiatrist following his arrest that he was depressed and had delusions that his children would be trafficked by kidnappers, according to Wagstaffe.
“We’re not giving up,” Wagstaffe said about the effort to amend California’s mental health diversion law to potentially exclude attempted murder cases in the future.
