Why Indian-American Who Drove Family Off Cliff Is Not Being Jailed

An Indian-American radiologist who drove his family off a cliff will not be serving any jail time for now and will receive mental health treatment, a US court ruled. In April 2024, a psychologist testified that Dharmesh Patel had committed the act because he had a 'psychotic breakdown', believing that his children were at risk of being sex trafficked, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The incident occurred in January 2023 when he drove their Tesla off the cliff 250 feet deep into the Pacific Ocean. 

The accused man's wife Neha Patel and two children, a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old son miraculously survived the devastating accident while Patel has been facing three felony counts of attempted murder of his family. However, later, Neha testified that she did not want her husband prosecuted.

Dad Who Drove Tesla Off The Cliff With Family Suffered Psychosis

A recent development in the case has brought a new spin after a US court declared he would be sent to a mental health division instead of serving a jail term. Earlier, Patel's lawyers presented that he was experiencing hallucinations while driving, where he heard footsteps and believed his children were sex trafficked due to which Patel drove the Tesla off the cliff to save his children in a panic attempt. 

The experts stated that he had been struggling with schizoaffective disorder and major depressive disorder. Two doctors, Dr Mark Patterson and James Armontrout testified for Patel who is currently seeking mental health diversion in the case. They presented their findings in court to prove that Patel was experiencing psychosis resulting in his delusion during the time of the crash. 

Dr Patterson during the court hearing said: "I see him as someone who is very motivated and amenable to treatment" as a series of 18 tests were conducted; including conversations with Patel and his siblings before presenting the diagnosis for Patel in the court.

While earlier, Neha Patel opposed her husband seeking mental health diversion, she stated on June 26 that she does not want her husband to be sentenced to jail. Superior Court Judge Susan M. Jakubowski deemed Patel eligible for the mental health program and ordered he be released to his parents in California. Patel will be monitored with GPS and report to the court once a week.

He is also not allowed to travel outside his country and must surrender his driving license and passport. The next court hearing is on July 1. As per the laws in California, in any criminal act, a suspect's or accused's mental disorder is a significant factor in the diversion of their criminal case into a diversion of the case into a treatment where they are eligible in mental health care centres.