Man charged with driving family off California cliff in Tesla feared kids would be 'sex trafficked': report

A psychologist testified that California doctor Dharmesh Patel, 43, who has been charged with purposely driving his family off a cliff at Devils Slide on the Pacific Coast Highway in January 2023, was suffering from a psychotic episode at the time of the incident and thought he was saving his family, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. All four occupants survived the crash. 

Patel allegedly feared his two kids would be sex trafficked, said Dr. Mark Patterson, who told the court: "It was paranoid and kind of delusional thinking that he acted on at the time to protect his family from a worse fate."

Dr. Patterson was called by Patel's attorneys to testify as an expert witness on Wednesday after Patel had asked the court last year to allow him to enter into a mental health diversion program to deal with his "major depressive disorder" instead of being incarcerated.

"He was concerned that his children were at risk of being kidnapped, possibly for sexual molestation...There were concerns surrounding the explosion of fentanyl in this country and the war in Ukraine," said Patterson.

Patterson diagnosed Patel with major depressive disorder with a single episode of psychotic features and anxious distress after a dozen visits.

Additionally, the defense's second witness, Dr. James Armontrout, diagnosed Patel with major depressive disorder, with psychotic features, currently in remission, according to the paper.

In January 2023, Patel was arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder and child abuse after driving his Tesla carrying his wife and two young children, aged 4 and 7 at the time, off the 250ft California cliff.

Dharmesh initially claimed that a tire issue caused him to veer off the road, but a police investigation determined that the incident was an intentional act.

His wife Neha told highway patrol at the time, "He's a doctor. He said he was going to drive off the cliff. He purposely drove off."

Both Dr. Patterson and Dr. Armontrout testified to the court that Patel meets the requirements for a mental health diversion treatment option.

The case will be back in court in San Mateo County on May 2.