The radiologist who drove a Tesla off a cliff in California with his family inside in an attempt to kill them was suffering from a psychotic break and a major depressive disorder, according to new testimony in the case.
Dharmesh Patel, a Pasadena, California, radiologist, is on trial for three counts of attempted murder after he drove his family, including two kids and his wife, off a cliff in his Tesla Model Y.
Court records reveal new details on Tesla Model Y that plunged off 250-foot cliff
Miraculously, nobody in the vehicle died, and Patel was subsequently arrested. However, Patel is now seeking a mental health diversion in the case, which would allow him to walk free from jail and be put on a treatment plan for two years, according to the LA Times.
If he does not commit another crime or break any rules dealing with his release, the charges would be dropped.
Two doctors have testified that Patel was suffering from major depressive disorder and was dealing with a psychotic break at the time he drove the vehicle off the cliff. He was under the belief that his children would be sex trafficked at the time of the crash, which is being used as evidence that he is dealing with some kind of depressive episode.
However, prosecutors are arguing that Patel was not suffering from any sort of depressive disorder or psychotic break but instead a schizoaffective disorder.
They also argue that the defense’s proposed treatment plan will not be effective, that the case should remain in court, and that he should be tried for his crimes.
Prosecutors don’t believe it is a smart decision because he will only be monitored during his time with doctors, not around the clock. One of the prosecutors said, “If he goes off his medication, how do you know? It’s not like being on probation or on parole. It’s purely the visits with the psychiatrist.”
No solution has been arrived at in this case, yet.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
