Psychotic”: Indian Doctors Who Drove Tesla Off Cliff With Family in US

An Indian-origin radiologist, Dharmesh Patel from Pasadena, California, was charged with three counts of attempted murder after driving his family’s Tesla off a cliff at Devil’s Slide on Highway 1 near Half Moon Bay. His wife, Neha, and their children miraculously survived the incident.

The 43-year-old Patel allegedly suffered from major depressive disorder and was experiencing a psychotic break at the time of the incident, according to media reports. Two doctors testified at a hearing that Patel was experiencing hallucinations, hearing footsteps, and believed his children had been sex trafficked.

The hearing, held in response to Patel’s request for a mental health diversion, is part of a plea for a two-year treatment plan instead of jail time. If granted, Patel’s charges would be dropped if he doesn’t commit any crimes during the proposed treatment plan.

At the time of the crash, Patel was experiencing a psychotic episode and believed his children might be sex trafficked, according to testimony from the defense’s doctors. The proposed treatment plan would be overseen by a Stanford psychiatric clinician if Patel is placed in the mental diversion program.

On the other hand, prosecutors oppose the diversion, arguing that Patel is not suffering from a major depressive disorder with a psychotic feature as diagnosed by the defense’s doctors, but from a different disorder known as schizoaffective. They believe the case should remain in court and expressed concerns about monitoring Patel’s medication if he is released.

Patel’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment. *(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.

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