"He's depressed. He said he was going to drive off the cliff. He drove off on purpose," the wife said in a statement to a California Highway Patrol officer.
The wife of the California doctor who survived a fatal car crash when her husband drove their Tesla down a cliff has accused him of deliberately driving down the edge of the road. Dr. Dharmesh Patel reportedly drove his Tesla down a cliff earlier this year while traveling with his wife and their two young children. All miraculously made it through. At the time, the two kids were 7 and 4 years old as per NBC News. According to recently disclosed court records, the wife of the radiologist whose name has not been revealed claimed to the authorities that he did so "on purpose."
It's a miracle they survived this!
— Kaveri 🇮🇳 (@ikaveri) February 7, 2023
Dr. Dharmesh Patel, 41, a radiologist is now under arrest. https://t.co/7AZdo10zlq pic.twitter.com/YmbsDIdbs2
The 41-year-old radiologist was suspected of driving off the Pacific Coast Highway and over a precipice at Devil's Slide in San Mateo County on January 2. He was charged with three counts of attempted murder following which in February, he entered a not-guilty plea.
According to documents in the case that were released on Wednesday, May 17, Patel's wife repeatedly informed investigators that he "had driven off the side of the road on purpose." She emphasized this several times. According to the court papers, Patel was standing next to her and was alert, but he "did not say anything unless he was spoken to."
At the scene of the accident, a second paramedic reported that Patel's wife was extremely concerned for the welfare of her kids. She reportedly informed the paramedic that "the defendant drove the vehicle off the cliff on purpose and that he was trying to kill them all." The paramedic said that she had stated this around three times repeatedly.
Additionally, witnesses who observed the Tesla before it fell off a cliff were questioned by the traffic patrol. According to the records, two witnesses claimed that the Tesla "accelerated" as it approached the cliffside, and none of the witnesses claimed that the driver attempted to brake before going over the edge.
In a statement to a California Highway Patrol officer, the doctor's wife said, "He drove off. He's depressed. He’s a doctor. He said he was going to drive off the cliff. He drove off on purpose," reports TODAY. The Tesla's off-cliff fall was also seen on a neighboring security camera.
The automobile was shown moving steadily along the lines of the road before slowing down and going right toward the cliff. The filing of the case said, "The Tesla then takes a gradual right turn, plunging off the cliffside. There is no indication of attempts to brake or to turn the Tesla in a different direction."
When the accused was interviewed at the hospital, he claimed he had pulled over to check his tire pressure, which the Tesla indicated was low earlier that morning. Patel's wife did not want him to be charged in February, according to Patel's lawyer, Joshua Bentley, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. After the collision, Patel's wife spoke with law enforcement, and according to Wagstaffe, "the next occasion for her to speak on the matter will be the preliminary hearing."
References:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/tesla-crash-warrant-18097182.php
Cover Image Source: Facebook | San Mateo County Sheriff's Office
