The spouse of a Pasadena radiologist accused her husband of deliberately making an attempt to kill his household by driving their Tesla off a cliff alongside Freeway 1 in San Mateo County, in line with a newly unsealed search warrant affidavit.
Dharmesh Patel, 41, his spouse and their youngsters, aged 4 and seven, had been heading south on Freeway 1 on Jan. 2 when their automobile plunged over the facet of a cliff and fell greater than 250 toes.
The Patel household needed to be extricated from the automobile by emergency companies. Court docket paperwork say that whereas aboard a rescue helicopter, Patel’s spouse informed officers, “He drove off. He’s depressed. He’s a physician. He stated he was going to drive off the cliff. He purposely drove off.”
San Mateo County District Lawyer Steven Wagstaffe informed KTLA sister station KRON4 that a number of individuals heard her statements, “There have been a number of emergency individuals there who heard the statements in addition to the CHP officer.”
Court docket paperwork present that Patel informed a unique story. He stated he moved the Tesla to the filth path to test the tire air stress.
In response to the affidavit, Patel stated he was “probably not depressed” and simply “felt down” as a result of “instances had been unhealthy on the earth.” Requested if he felt suicidal, Patel stated, “, not like a plan, not normally.”
Three witnesses stated the Tesla didn’t decelerate because it traveled up the filth highway after which off of the cliff. One witness stated she didn’t see the automobile brake after it made a proper flip and went up a mud highway off of the freeway.
Patel was arrested for the crash earlier than he was even launched from Stanford Medical Heart, the place he and the remainder of his household had been handled for his or her accidents. Patel was booked into San Mateo County Jail. His spouse and youngsters all recovered and had been launched from the hospital inside a month of the crash.
Neighbors who lived close to the Patels in Pasadena spoke to Individuals, saying they had been “surprised” by the costs.
“They had been only a nice all-around American household that goes out jogging and walks the youngsters,” neighbor Roger Newmark informed Individuals. “They’re only a very candy household.”
Household says the couple met as freshman on the College of California, San Diego, married in 2008 and began a household.
Patel has been charged with three counts of tried homicide with enhancements for the accidents he precipitated to his spouse and daughter. He has filed a not responsible plea with the court docket. He’s presently being held with out bail.
Patel is scheduled to be in court docket for a preliminary listening to on June 12. Patel’s lawyer didn’t reply to a request for remark.
