Indian-Origin California Man Who Drove Tesla Off Cliff Was Experiencing Psychotic Episode, Claim Defence Doctors

Dharmesh Patel Case: The Indian-origin radiologist accused of deliberately driving his Tesla off a cliff in the US state of California with his wife and children inside the vehicle was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time of the incident, doctors testifying in his defence reportedly claimed at a hearing earlier this week. According to the prosecution, Dharmesh Patel, a resident of California's Pasadena, was charged with multiple counts of attempted murder in January last year after he drove the family's electric vehicle off a cliff at Devils Slide on Highway 1 near Half Moon Bay.

All of the car's four occupants -- Dharmesh, his wife Neha, and their son and daughter aged seven and four at the time respectively -- miraculously survived the crash that took place after the vehicle plunged 250 feet onto a rocky beach. Patel (43) was experiencing hallucinations, hearing footsteps and was convinced that his children had been victims of sex trafficking, two doctors claimed in their testimonies at a hearing on Wednesday in Redwood City.

Dharmesh Patel Trial: Latest Updates

The hearing came as a result of an earlier request by the defence, which is seeking a mental health diversion in the case, the New York Post reported. If the doctors' testimonies are accepted by a judge, Dharmesh stands to get placed on a two-year treatment plan and avoid prison time. The radiologist's charges will be dropped if he does not commit any offences in the course of his proposed treatment.

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Dharmesh would be placed under the medical supervision of James Armontrout, a Stanford psychiatric clinician. Armontrout is one of the two doctors, the other being Mark Patterson, who testified in Dharmesh's defence. "I see him as someone who is very motivated and amenable to treatment," Patterson, a psychologist, said while testifying in Dharmesh's favour. Patterson's diagnosis followed a series of 18 tests conducted on Dharmesh and conversations with him and his siblings.

Dharmesh Patel Case: Prosecution Opposes Diversion

Prosecutors oppose diversion in the case. They argue that Dharmesh's evaluation by the prosecution's doctor found he was not suffering from a major depressive disorder with a psychotic element but from a different anomaly called schizoaffective. In line with its claim on Dharmesh's condition, the prosecution asserts that the two-year treatment plan proposed for him won't be effective.

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The prosecution remains firm in its stance that the case should remain in court. District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe expressed doubts that Dharmesh would be properly monitored after his release. "If he goes off his medication, how do you know? It's not like being on probation or parole. It's purely the visits with the psychiatrist," he stated.