CA - Tesla crash off cliff shocked rescuers, Dr. dad arrested for attempted murder of family, Devil’s Slide, Jan 2023

[arielilane]

MSN

6.13.2023

The Medical Board of California asked the judge to intervene, calling Patel a “danger to the public,” according to court records. Judge Rachel Holt granted the request Monday, after postponing Patel’s preliminary hearing scheduled for that morning.

 

[arielilane]

Dharmesh Patel, radiologist charged by @sanmateocoda w/3 counts of att.murder for intentionally driving
@Tesla Model Y off cliff w/wife & kids aboard, per @CHPSanFrancisco, now barred from practicing medicine by judge, granting @MedBoardOfCA motion

https://twitter.com/x/status/1668785084529545218

https://twitter.com/henrykleeKTVU

 

[DeDee]

MAY 2023 - unsealed docs
First responders were stunned anyone was alive. The Tesla was crushed on all sides.

Ms Patel:
She told a paramedic helping extricate the family from the crushed vehicle that Patel “had driven off the side of the road on purpose,” the filing said. “She repeated this multiple times.”

A second paramedic at the crash site said Patel’s wife was very worried about the safety of her children. She told that paramedic that “the defendant drove the vehicle off the cliff on purpose and that he was trying to kill them all,” according to the documents.

A nearby security camera also captured the moment the Tesla drove off the cliffside. It showed the Tesla traveling within the lines on the road, slowing down and turning right onto the cliff.

“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,” the filing said.

Case closed, imo.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wife-radiologist-drove-tesla-ca-cliff-family-said-purpose-unsealed-doc-rcna85033

 

[arielilane]

Dad accused of ‘intentionally’ driving Tesla off cliff with family inside seeks mental health treatment instead of prison

https://twitter.com/x/status/1678524504958713857

https://twitter.com/lawcrimenews

Dad accused of 'intentionally' driving Tesla off cliff with family inside seeks mental health treatment instead of prison

Dharmesh A. Patel has asked a court to place him in a mental health diversion program instead of prison for allegedly driving his family off a cliff earlier this year.

lawandcrime.com

Jul 10th, 2023, 3:25 pm

A 41-year-old California doctor accused of “intentionally” driving his Tesla off a cliff with his wife and two young children inside — sending the vehicle plummeting nearly 300 feet before it crashed at the base of a bluff along the Pacific Coast Highway — is now seeking placement in a mental health diversion program rather than being sent to prison. [...]

The court slated another hearing at the end of July where Patel’s petition will be decided.

 

[athenna]

Dad accused of ‘intentionally’ driving Tesla off cliff with family inside seeks mental health treatment instead of prison

https://twitter.com/x/status/1678524504958713857

https://twitter.com/lawcrimenews

Dad accused of 'intentionally' driving Tesla off cliff with family inside seeks mental health treatment instead of prison

Dharmesh A. Patel has asked a court to place him in a mental health diversion program instead of prison for allegedly driving his family off a cliff earlier this year.

lawandcrime.com

Jul 10th, 2023, 3:25 pm

A 41-year-old California doctor accused of “intentionally” driving his Tesla off a cliff with his wife and two young children inside — sending the vehicle plummeting nearly 300 feet before it crashed at the base of a bluff along the Pacific Coast Highway — is now seeking placement in a mental health diversion program rather than being sent to prison. [...]

The court slated another hearing at the end of July where Patel’s petition will be decided.

Aka, “prison is for poor people, not me!”

 

[imstilla.grandma]

On April 24, two doctors testified that at the time of the crash, Patel was experiencing a psychotic episode that led him to believe that his two children may be sex trafficked, The Los Angeles Times reported.

The California radiologist, 40, also suffered from major depressive order, the doctors for the defense, Mark Patterson and James Armontrout, said, according to the outlet.

The sight of the crash after Dharmesh Arvind Patel drove his family's Tesla off of a California cliff.

Patel, who has pleaded not guilty to his charges, is now seeking mental health diversion in his case, per the L.A. Times. If granted, he would be released from jail.

Father Who Drove His Family Of 4 Off Cliff Suffered Psychotic Break, Doctors Say

Dharmesh Arvind Patel, the father who drove his wife and two children off of a cliff in California in January, was suffering a psychotic break at the time of the crash, two doctors testified in court on April 24, according to 'The Los Angeles Times.' The doctors also said he suffered from major...

people.com

 

[ChatteringBirds]

So even the prosecution believes he was having delusions that day? Had he shown signs of such a disorder before that day?
If he is released, I fear for the safety of his wife and children. JMO.

 

[DeDee]

However, prosecutors oppose the diversion, alleging that the doctor who diagnosed Patel on behalf of the prosecution found that he is suffering from schizoaffective disorder, not major depressive disorder with a psychotic feature. Therefore, they argued, Patel would not be effectively treated by the defense’s proposed plan, per the L.A. Times.

Instead, prosecutors believe the case should stay in court.

Father Who Drove His Family Of 4 Off Cliff Suffered Psychotic Break, Doctors Say

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

However, prosecutors oppose the diversion, alleging that the doctor who diagnosed Patel on behalf of the prosecution found that he is suffering from schizoaffective disorder, not major depressive disorder with a psychotic feature. Therefore, they argued, Patel would not be effectively treated by the defense’s proposed plan, per the L.A. Times.

Instead, prosecutors believe the case should stay in court.

Father Who Drove His Family Of 4 Off Cliff Suffered Psychotic Break, Doctors Say

That makes no logical sense whatsoever. You can't say "if he has this mental disorder, he can be treated by a diversion plan, but if he has this mental disorder, he must remain in jail". There is no mental illness in which the treatment is jail time. This is rubbish by the prosecution.

 

[mickey2942]

I hope that they take away his medical license, permanently. Who wants a doctor who, at any time could take a wrong turn with a scalpel and claim "psychosis"?!

No thanks.

 

[mzmarymac]

This is an interesting case to look back on as we seem to be seeing a rise in cases of family annihilations recently. Many seem to be happening when the killer seemed to be a happy, active, "good" member of the community. No criminal record, no history of violence, happy family photos and even videos, such as the case recently in Oklahoma.

What makes this case rather unique is that they all survived, so we can actually interview everyone and learn more information. We really need to be able to understand these killers better so that we can try to prevent these atrocities in the future. I realize there won't always be ways to do this, but we need to know why they do it.

Is it psychosis like this case is saying. Are they hearing voices and seeing things that take over their brain and their wits? I want to know if these people, let's talk the dads/husbands for now, have always been evil and have been covering it up/playing the part? Are they deeply troubled and have done everything they can to try to be better people and just one day break down? Or were these people once happy, healthy loving people like everyone thought and then something happened inside their brain?

 

[10ofRods]

Schizoaffective disorder and Major Depression can each cause severe psychosis, with Schizoaffective frequently involving auditory hallucinations and both can cause visual hallucinations/misidentifications.

Schizoaffective can come on at any age, but more often between 25 and 35. So, Dr Patel was in range of the higher number. Earlier symptoms may be less severe, becoming more severe as the disease develops.

It is typically a cyclical disorder, with periods of normalcy in between periods of severe psychosis.

Yale Fact Sheet on Schizoaffective Disorder.

 

[iamshadow21]

Schizoaffective disorder and Major Depression can each cause severe psychosis, with Schizoaffective frequently involving auditory hallucinations and both can cause visual hallucinations/misidentifications.

Schizoaffective can come on at any age, but more often between 25 and 35. So, Dr Patel was in range of the higher number. Earlier symptoms may be less severe, becoming more severe as the disease develops.

It is typically a cyclical disorder, with periods of normalcy in between periods of severe psychosis.

Yale Fact Sheet on Schizoaffective Disorder.

I had no idea it could present so late. I thought it came on in the lower end of that. But perhaps my perception is off because my friend with schizophrenia was symptomatic very young (by age twelve) which I know is outside the norm, too.

MOO

 

[10ofRods]

I had no idea it could present so late. I thought it came on in the lower end of that. But perhaps my perception is off because my friend with schizophrenia was symptomatic very young (by age twelve) which I know is outside the norm, too.

MOO

Schizophrenia typically comes on earlier (18-25). Schizoaffective is caused by a different set of genes. In both cases, not everyone with the genes will get the disease. But, it is higher in stressed populations which include military, veterans, doctors and others with intense sleep-disrupted lives (this is especially true for bipolar and for schizoaffective - which is perhaps more closely related to bipolar.

For bipolar, average age is in the 20's, although the first few cycles can be mild enough to be confused with something else.

Schizophrenia and stress is the most researched topic (there are so few schizoaffectives). Here's an article that includes schizoaffective. It's a condition that responds fairly well to anti-seizure disorders (and some neurologists and psychiatrists consider it to be more closely related to seizure disorders).

The research on schizoaffective disorder, stress and life events is scanty - but each time it's done, the results seem similar to bipolar and schizophrenia (and major depression, actually). Different scales of measuring stress are used - but the results are always the same.

 

[iamshadow21]

Schizophrenia typically comes on earlier (18-25). Schizoaffective is caused by a different set of genes. In both cases, not everyone with the genes will get the disease. But, it is higher in stressed populations which include military, veterans, doctors and others with intense sleep-disrupted lives (this is especially true for bipolar and for schizoaffective - which is perhaps more closely related to bipolar.

For bipolar, average age is in the 20's, although the first few cycles can be mild enough to be confused with something else.

Schizophrenia and stress is the most researched topic (there are so few schizoaffectives). Here's an article that includes schizoaffective. It's a condition that responds fairly well to anti-seizure disorders (and some neurologists and psychiatrists consider it to be more closely related to seizure disorders).

The research on schizoaffective disorder, stress and life events is scanty - but each time it's done, the results seem similar to bipolar and schizophrenia (and major depression, actually). Different scales of measuring stress are used - but the results are always the same.

I didn't know it was a different set of genes responsible, but I guess that makes sense. I think I thought it was closely genetically similar, just expressed differently in different people. For example, my family has a very strong incidence of autism and ADHD, but all of us experience it differently to each other. I think I assumed schizoaffective folks were close genetically to schizophrenic folks in the same way. Humans are diverse and complicated! Beautiful and challenging.

MOO

 

[RickshawFan]

On April 24, two doctors testified that at the time of the crash, Patel was experiencing a psychotic episode that led him to believe that his two children may be sex trafficked, The Los Angeles Times reported.

The California radiologist, 40, also suffered from major depressive order, the doctors for the defense, Mark Patterson and James Armontrout, said, according to the outlet.

The sight of the crash after Dharmesh Arvind Patel drove his family's Tesla off of a California cliff.

Patel, who has pleaded not guilty to his charges, is now seeking mental health diversion in his case, per the L.A. Times. If granted, he would be released from jail.

Father Who Drove His Family Of 4 Off Cliff Suffered Psychotic Break, Doctors Say

Dharmesh Arvind Patel, the father who drove his wife and two children off of a cliff in California in January, was suffering a psychotic break at the time of the crash, two doctors testified in court on April 24, according to 'The Los Angeles Times.' The doctors also said he suffered from major...

people.com

But Patel would be self-reporting episodes of psychosis. No one was diagnosing him at the moment of the crime.

We've had a similar argument in the case of Sydney Powell and the murder of her mother, Brenda Powell. Defense argued that she was psychotic and had schizophrenia. Prosecution said BUNKUM: all malingering. She was convicted.

 

[SophieRose]

Wife of doctor who drove family off cliff begs for his charges to drop

The wife of a California doctor who drove her and his kids off a cliff in a failed murder-suicide bid has begged prosecutors to drop the charges.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Patel's wife said his return will not only 'restore him back to himself, but it will restore the health and wellness of our entire family.'

Emphasizing the importance of the 'health and safety' of her family, she said that she 'will not hesitate to seek help when needed.'

'We need — we need him in our life,' Patel's wife added. 'We're not a family without him.'

If the plan is approved, Patel's care would be in the hands of Stanford psychiatric clinician, James Armontrout.

The medical treatment would entail group and individual therapy sessions, as well as sessions with a psychotherapist.

But the San Mateo County prosecutors, are opposing the request, and have filed motions against it.

 

[mickey2942]

I wish that I was surprised. The man is a menace to public safety. No, he should not just go home and have some counseling.

Wife of doctor who drove family off cliff in Tesla asks court to drop charges

Neha Patel spoke to court for first time, saying that she and her children need him at home

www.independent.co.uk

 

[iamshadow21]

Wife of doctor who drove family off cliff begs for his charges to drop

The wife of a California doctor who drove her and his kids off a cliff in a failed murder-suicide bid has begged prosecutors to drop the charges.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Patel's wife said his return will not only 'restore him back to himself, but it will restore the health and wellness of our entire family.'

Emphasizing the importance of the 'health and safety' of her family, she said that she 'will not hesitate to seek help when needed.'

'We need — we need him in our life,' Patel's wife added. 'We're not a family without him.'

If the plan is approved, Patel's care would be in the hands of Stanford psychiatric clinician, James Armontrout.

The medical treatment would entail group and individual therapy sessions, as well as sessions with a psychotherapist.

But the San Mateo County prosecutors, are opposing the request, and have filed motions against it.

If she keeps pushing for family reintegration and he is released, then social services may step in. He had every intention of them all being killed. The only reason they weren't is luck and the over engineering of a Tesla. He did and possibly still does pose a very grave risk to the safety of his children, and social services won't take that lightly.

MOO

 

[ChatteringBirds]

This is incredibly sad. I don't think minor children should live with him, even if he was having an untreated episode of MI when he drove them off the cliff but he is now being treated.