A California judge has dismissed all charges against Dharmesh Patel, a radiologist accused of driving his Tesla off a 250-foot cliff along the Pacific Coast Highway in 2023 with his wife and two young children inside. The dismissal came after Patel completed a two-year mental health diversion program, as required by state law.
Judge Required to Dismiss Charges Under State Law
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe confirmed the dismissal on Monday, stating that the judge was legally obligated to drop the charges once Patel fulfilled the treatment plan. “The judge was required by the law to dismiss the charges,” Wagstaffe said.
Patel, 45, of Pasadena, was charged with attempted murder following the Jan. 2, 2023 crash at a location known as “Devil’s Slide.” All four family members survived the 76-meter plunge, which one official called an “absolute miracle.”
Mental Health Diversion Program and Conditions
In 2024, a different judge ruled that Patel would receive mental health treatment instead of standing trial. His defense attorneys argued he was suffering from episodic major depression with hallucinations at the time of the incident, making him eligible for mental health diversion under California law enacted in 2023.
Under the program, Patel was treated by a Stanford University psychiatrist and a family therapist. He was released from jail in 2024 to complete outpatient treatment, living with his parents in San Mateo County while monitored via a GPS bracelet. He surrendered his driver’s license and passport and had to check in with the court weekly.
“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.
Prosecutors Opposed Diversion, Seek Law Change
San Mateo prosecutors unsuccessfully opposed diversion for Patel. Wagstaffe and other California district attorneys argue that attempted murder should be excluded from mental health diversion eligibility. They are working with lawmakers to amend the law. “We’ll try again in the future,” Wagstaffe said. “We’re not giving up.”
Family Background and Aftermath
Patel told a psychiatrist after his arrest that he was depressed and had delusions that his children, ages 4 and 7 at the time, would be trafficked by kidnappers. His wife testified that she had forgiven her husband and did not want him prosecuted, stating that their children missed their father and wanted him home.
After the charges were dismissed on Monday, Patel walked to the courtroom gallery where his wife was waiting, and the two left together, according to the Mercury News.
Patel’s attorney, Joshua Bentley, did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The Medical Board of California barred Patel from practicing medicine after his arrest, and he surrendered his California medical license in December.
