A judge has dismissed all charges against a Pasadena doctor who allegedly drove his entire family off a cliff near the Northern California coast in 2023. 45-year-old Dharmesh Patel, who was charged with three counts of attempted murder, will now walk free after a San Mateo County judge dropped all charges against him following the completion of his 2-year mental health program, per ABC News.
The judge dismissed charges after Patel completed mental health diversion program
While many are shocked by the verdict, the judge ordered on July 6 that all charges against Patel, a radiologist by profession, be dropped after he completed the program with a Stanford University Pysichiatrist and a family therapist. San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said, per the outlet. “The judge was required by the law to dismiss the charges.”
The decision to send the accused to the mental health diversion program came in 2024, after the defense alleged that Patel suffered episodic major depression with hallucinations while driving. Meanwhile, the DAs are challenging the inclusion of the attempted murder charge from the purview of the diversion program, per the outlet.
Patel’s wife said the family had forgiven the accused
The accused was out on a trip with his family in the Bay Area when then-41-year-old Patel allegedly drove his Tesla off a 250-foot cliff, known as Devil’s Slide, with his wife and two children. After he was rescued and taken to a hospital, the police arrested him for attempted murder.
At the time of interrogation, Patel told the psychiatrist that he was suffering from acute depression and hallucinations, which led to the incident. He said that he believed his 4-year-old and 7-year-old kids were being pursued by a kidnapper. Patel was in custody until 2024, when a judge ordered him to join the mental health program, per the outlet…