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

[evilwise]

The only reason I really want this guy to go to jail is to insure that his wife won't let him be around their kids anymore. If there were another way to insure it, that would be fine but I don't know of one and I know how often "families" headed by obviously dangerous men continue to stay together.

 

[SophieRose]

California doctor 'declared plan to die before driving off cliff'

'He drove off. He's depressed,' Neha Patel told a California Highway Patrol officer as she was flown away from the crash site, according to an arrest warrant affidavit unsealed on Tuesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 12, at which time a judge will decide if there's enough evidence to move ahead with a trial.

Patel's defense attorney Josh Bentley has previously said that his wife did not want her husband prosecuted, despite her comments at the scene saying the crash was not an accident.

 

[KooshBall]

What was the point of faking the tire issue if he planned on them all dying? Was he trying to maintain a certain reputation even after his death?

 

[Tman2004]

What was the point of faking the tire issue if he planned on them all dying? Was he trying to maintain a certain reputation even after his death?

Or a just in case someone lives there will be some type of story to tell.

 

[arielilane]

From DM article posted earlier:

"A Pasadena radiologist, Patel claimed he pulled off the road to check on a possibly flat tire, according to the warrant. Witness testimony does not appear to back up his account."

The flat tire, isn't going to fair well toward the doctor - he had a chance to change his mind... actions construed as premeditated maybe?

Definitely, think a mental health evaluation is in order.

Of course, all a moo.

 

[10ofRods]

Just wanted to pop in and mention that the location of this cliff dive was 15 miles south of San Francisco, whereas the Hart Family murders (the six adopted kids and their murdering parents) were up in Mendocino County, near Westport, CA, more than 180 miles north of SF.

Oddly, the Mendocino cliff was about 100 feet tall, and no one survived. Dr P chose a much higher cliff and they all managed to survive.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/05/us/hart-family-timeline/index.html

 

[evilwise]

The Patels didn't land in the water and people saw them go over to call for help right away. Those Hart kids suffered, I'm sure.

 

[NeverPersonal]

My nephew is an engineer whose job it is to help design race cars to perform faster with safety in mind. Hence, I tend to agree with you that being inside a Tesla potentially saved their lives. Elon employed the best engineers to design the Tesla although it's not been flawless. Audi's are built like tanks, too. They have horizontal steel bars inside the doors and such.

Not an Elon fan, but gotta say Teslas are pretty dang safe and cool from everything I've read. My newer VW Jetta is also incredibly safe and I ADORE it. Back-up camera, beeps when I'm in reverse and ANYTHING (kid, dog, car) is behind me, the side mirrors have a light that goes on when someone is in my blind spot. Loooove it as a person with bad RA in my neck and shoulders. I've also read that they're good in accidents (I mean, nothing is good in an accident, but the car is safer than many).

It's an interesting way he chose to try & kill his family. Definitely Hart-family inspired. Did he plan to also kill himself?

 

[Chikkamma]

What was the point of faking the tire issue if he planned on them all dying? Was he trying to maintain a certain reputation even after his death?

I think the most likely reason was to provide an alternate explanation for the crash (aside from him being a murderer) in the event they all perished.

 

[Chikkamma]

Here’s a piece of information I haven’t come across in any other articles.

“His sister revealed that he had expressed sadness about the ongoing war and other news events, expressing concerns about his children's future due to the state of the world, and that he was depressed.”

Dad who 'tried to kill family' by driving car off cliff 'did it on purpose'

Dharmesh Patel's wife, Neha, said he purposely drove off the cliff and denied claims he was trying to check the tyres when the car tumbled down the cliff overlooking the ocean

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[Sleuthine]

The Patels didn't land in the water and people saw them go over to call for help right away. Those Hart kids suffered, I'm sure.

The Patels were incredibly lucky. IIRC from reading news about others that went over the Devil's Slide cliff in the prior years, nobody has survived. It might not be an absolute number, but the chances for survival are very slim. Yes, them being in a Tesla might have helped.

It did actually take some time for rescuers to get down there.

I don't think he necessarily was 'inspired' by the Hart family. Only three months earlier another car plunged off Devil's Slide which was also in the news.

 

[LordMo]

yeah, Teslas have a bad reputation of being deathtraps... EXCEPT in the exact situation he chose.

And, of course, as other posters have pointed out -- it's a car literally designed to snitch on you.

It is only by the grace of the family all having lived that I feel comfortable saying... "what a maroon!"

 

[scriabina]

Definitely, think a mental health evaluation is in order.

An MD would know how to fake mental illness pretty skillfully, I'd think. Interesting how he is going the "flat tire" route instead.

 

[10ofRods]

Not an Elon fan, but gotta say Teslas are pretty dang safe and cool from everything I've read. My newer VW Jetta is also incredibly safe and I ADORE it. Back-up camera, beeps when I'm in reverse and ANYTHING (kid, dog, car) is behind me, the side mirrors have a light that goes on when someone is in my blind spot. Loooove it as a person with bad RA in my neck and shoulders. I've also read that they're good in accidents (I mean, nothing is good in an accident, but the car is safer than many).

It's an interesting way he chose to try & kill his family. Definitely Hart-family inspired. Did he plan to also kill himself?

Surely he had to have thought that would be the outcome??

I keep wondering the same thing.

 

[10ofRods]

Here’s a piece of information I haven’t come across in any other articles.

“His sister revealed that he had expressed sadness about the ongoing war and other news events, expressing concerns about his children's future due to the state of the world, and that he was depressed.”

Dad who 'tried to kill family' by driving car off cliff 'did it on purpose'

Dharmesh Patel's wife, Neha, said he purposely drove off the cliff and denied claims he was trying to check the tyres when the car tumbled down the cliff overlooking the ocean

www.mirror.co.uk

Did he mean the war in Ukraine? I would assume so. Sounds like he was severely depressed, if he was worried about the effect on the future of his children of a war on the other side of the planet. When we have a volunteer army and no draft. And his son is years away from consequences in any case. It sounds very much like what severely depressed people say.

IMO. Not trying to excuse him, but trying to understand.

 

[SophieRose]

Driver to be arrested for attempted murder at Devil's Slide

Authorities believe the driver of a Tesla who went over Devil’s Slide on Jan. 2, with three other passengers inside, did so intentionally. The California Highway Patrol issued a statement

www.hmbreview.com

The area south of the Devil's Slide tunnels, where scenic views of the Pacific Ocean meet sharp turns, has been the scene of several similar crashes, some ruled intentional. The San Francisco Chronicle counted at least 31 people who have been killed in reported accidents since 1990. However, that figure is likely higher as officers don’t track missing persons, crashes identified as suicides, or when victims and vehicles aren’t found. There have been at least nine fatalities since the tunnel opened in 2013, according to the California Highway Patrol and news reports.

A report from Caltrans claimed Devil’s Slide has an accident rate more than 50 percent higher than the statewide average for similar highways. The state is in the process of constructing new permanent barriers to prevent cars from going over the cliff.

 

[Sleuthine]

The route now cannot be compared with the one before the tunnel was in place. The one before the tunnel was built was directly at the cliff for a longer driving time. The tunnel that is in place now cuts through a mountain and now the drive at the cliff is shorter (really only very few minutes; 2-3 perhaps?). The one right now is a regular road with some turns, but if you drive normally, nothing actually will happen. It is still a bit scary for me but I think that's also just in my head because I know there is this drop-off. I find driving in e.g. Yosemite 120 scarier. A lot of people I know drive this route at least twice per week.

 

[arielilane]

Any updates regarding court today? TIA

DA: Doctor who drove family over cliff needs to be held accountable

(KRON) — What was going through Dharmesh Patel’s mind when he, according to investigators, intentionally drove his entire family over a San Mateo County cliff and crashed their Tesla in…

www.kron4.com

Updated: May 27, 2023 / 10:06 AM PDT

In February, Patel pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder.

So far, the judge overseeing the case has denied granting bail, and Patel currently remains behind bars, inmate records show. The doctor will return to court on June 12.

 

[arielilane]

Video is under 2 minutes.

 

[arielilane]

A judge ruled Monday that Dharmesh Patel, the Southern California doctor accused of intentionally driving his Tesla off a Devil’s Slide cliff with his family in the car, can no longer practice medicine while his attempted murder case is ongoing.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1668777945018646528

NEW: Judge bans Dharmesh Patel, the Southern California doctor accused of intentionally driving his Tesla off a San Mateo County cliff, from practicing medicine. @MedBoardOfCA requested the restriction. Also new info from search warrant on Patel's Tesla.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1668777304506634242

‘Danger to the public’: Doctor accused of intentionally driving Tesla off cliff banned from practicing medicine

At the request of the Medical Board of California, a San Mateo County Superior Court...

www.sfchronicle.com