The SoCal radiologist suspected of intentionally driving his wife and kids off a cliff at Devil’s Slide in 2023, all of whom survived, has completed the mandated mental health diversion program, and the attempted murder charges against him have been dismissed.
The judge in the attempted murder case against Southern California radiologist Dharmesh Patel dismissed the charges Monday after Patel completed a two-year court-ordered mental health diversion program, as the Chronicle reports.
The case stemmed from a January 2023 crash in which prosecutors said Patel intentionally drove his Tesla off Devil's Slide in San Mateo County with his wife Bubna and two children, ages 7 and 4, inside, as SFist reported previously. All four survived the roughly 250-foot plunge after a four-hour rescue, though Patel, Bubna, and one child suffered serious injuries.
Patel initially claimed tire pressure problems caused him to lose control, though prosecutors pointed to witnesses who said the Tesla never appeared to brake before leaving the roadway. Court records also showed that Bubna told investigators immediately after the crash that Patel had threatened to drive off the cliff and needed a psychiatric evaluation.
Patel was granted mental health diversion in 2024 after defense experts said he was experiencing major depressive disorder with psychotic features at the time of the crash. According to KTVU, Bubna also urged the court to allow Patel to receive treatment rather than prison time, saying she wanted their family reunited.
Patel's treatment reportedly included regular supervision by a psychiatrist and social worker, and he was ordered to remain on GPS monitoring, stay within San Mateo County, and undergo twice-weekly medication compliance checks.
Per the Chronicle, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said the dismissal was required under California law once Patel successfully completed the diversion program, but he criticized the statute for allowing defendants charged with attempted murder to qualify.
"Judge Cho was required by law to grant the dismissal," Wagstaffe said. "My complaint is with the law itself."
As SFist reported, Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (D-Elk Grove) introduced a bill in 2024 that failed to pass, which would have removed attempted murder from the mental health diversion program list.
However, as CalMatters reports, Newsom signed a separate bill by Nguyen last month giving judges greater discretion to deny mental health diversion in certain cases, though attempted murder remains an eligible offense.
Previously: Defense Says Man Who Drove Family Off Cliff In Tesla Should Avoid Jail, Get Treatment Instead
Image: @SMCSheriff via Twitter
