Spouse of Father Who Drove Tesla Off Cliff Pleads with Courtroom to Rule Towards Jail Time

Radiologist Dharmesh Patel was arrested in January 2023 and charged with three counts of tried homicide, after the household’s Tesla — which he was driving — plunged 250 ft over a cliff dubbed the “Satan’s Slide” on the Pacific Coast Freeway. His spouse and two kids, who had been 7 and 4 on the time, had been within the car.

A court docket listening to went down final week, as Patel’s protection group argued he ought to be admitted to a two-year psychological well being diversion program — which, if accomplished with out difficulty or additional arrests, may result in the fees in opposition to him being dropped. Two medical doctors who testified on Patel’s behalf claimed he was affected by main depressive dysfunction with a psychotic function on the time of the crash.

Whereas showing in entrance of the San Mateo County Superior Courtroom by way of Zoom, Patel’s spouse, Neha Patel, learn a press release asking the decide to rule in opposition to jail time, and as an alternative grant her husband a psychological well being diversion, in line with The San Francisco Chronicle.

“I do not wish to see Dharmesh prosecuted with any of his fees. I’m pleading with the court docket to grant him his psychological well being diversion,” she informed the court docket.

Neha mentioned her husband had a psychological well being episode that led to the accident, and that she and her household miss him.

“Seeing my youngsters in fixed ache is likely one of the hardest issues I’ve needed to endure,” she defined. “As soon as I tuck my kids into mattress at evening I’m reminded of my very own solitude. I actually miss my greatest buddy. I actually miss my companion in my life.”

Per The Chronicle, Neha — who celebrated her 19-year wedding ceremony anniversary with Patel on Friday — grew emotional whereas praising her husband’s position as a father to their kids, telling the court docket that her son got here into her room crying over his father’s absence.

“‘When is Daddy coming dwelling? He is taking so lengthy, and I miss him,'” Neha recalled her son telling her, earlier than including that her daughter holds the final present Patel obtained her earlier than the accident, a stuffed sea turtle, each evening.

“We’d like him in our lives, and it has been over a 12 months and a half since my kids or I’ve seen or spoken to Dharmesh,” she defined. “We’re not a household with out him.

“The psychological well being therapy … won’t solely restore him again to himself, however will restore our household,” she mentioned.

Whereas the 2 medical doctors who testified in Patel’s protection final week claimed he was affected by main depressive dysfunction with a psychotic function on the time of the crash, Dr. Yan Chan — who was known as to testify by Deputy District Legal professional Dominique Davis — mentioned he believed Patel is definitely affected by schizoaffective dysfunction.

Based on the Nationwide Alliance of Psychological Sickness (NAMI), schizoaffective dysfunction is a uncommon, “persistent psychological well being situation characterised primarily by signs of schizophrenia, equivalent to hallucinations or delusions, and signs of a temper dysfunction, equivalent to mania and melancholy.” It may be handled with drugs, together with temper stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants, together with remedy.

Decide Susan Jakubowski should rule whether or not or not Patel has a qualifying psychological sickness and if it contributed to the accident. As well as, the decide will decide if she believes Patel would profit from psychological well being therapy and if he presents a risk to public security.

Though The Chronicle famous that schizoaffective dysfunction is a qualifying psychological sickness for a psychological well being diversion, the decide should conclude that Patel would take part within the full program, which incorporates taking prescription drugs. Chan mentioned Patel appeared reluctant to take antipsychotics when he was hospitalized after the crash, whereas additionally citing that Patel’s medical information confirmed that his paranoia signs returned after he stopped taking his antipsychotic medicine.

As well as, Chan mentioned Patel appeared to have indicators of “underreporting” his signs, and in addition famous that he initially claimed that the crash was an accident.

The psychologist testified that Patel introduced signs of schizoaffective dysfunction way back to February 2022. He mentioned Patel believed his mailman was “out of get him” at one level. Chan additionally expressed his concern that outpatient therapy can be a “ripe surroundings for these sorts of brewing ideas to come back again.”

In the meantime, Neha claimed Patel “by no means had an episode” within the 25 years they’ve identified one another, and asserted that her husband would be capable to maintain his sickness underneath management along with her assist and therapy.

“Now that we perceive and know he has a treatable situation, issues might be totally different,” she mentioned. “I would like members of the court docket to know the well being and security of my household is of paramount significance.”