Dharmesh Patel Wiki, Biography
On Monday, January 2, 2023, Dharmesh Patel, 41, drove his Tesla off a cliff in California, but managed to survive the 250-meter drop. His family, including two small children, were also present in the car during the horrific accident. According to police, all survived the fall, which could easily have been fatal.
Days after the accident, authorities arrested Dharmesh Patel, who was behind the wheel. They believe Patel intentionally drove the car with his wife and his two children into it off a California cliff.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) announced that the Pasadena doctor will be charged with attempted murder and child abuse after he is released from the hospital.
In a statement, they said CHP investigators worked through the night interviewing people and gathering evidence from the scene. They added that from the evidence they collected, they had sufficient probable cause to believe the accident was intentional.
According to CBS News, police have yet to determine if the Tesla involved in the incident had the autopilot feature activated. However, they believe the mode did not contribute to the accident. The CHP has declined to provide further information as it is an ongoing investigation.
Police say the survival of Dharmesh Patel and his family is an “absolute miracle”
Around 10:50 a.m. m. Monday, Dharmesh Patel was driving with his wife, Neha, 41, and their two children, a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy. That’s when the car flipped over the edge of a cliff on Pacific Coast Highway. This part of the road is infamously known as the “Devil’s Slide”.
According to law enforcement officers, accidents often happen at this specific location and leave no survivors. However, in a miraculous turn of events, the entire family survived the accident that wrecked the Tesla beyond measure.
Authorities believe the car appeared to have rolled over several times before coming to rest on its wheels. While all four people involved in the crash were initially listed as in critical condition, all were conscious and alert when rescuers arrived on scene.
Brian Pottenger, battalion chief for the Coastside/Cal Fire Protection District, said they have seen multiple cases like these and people never live after an accident like this. He also went on to say that the family that survived the crash was an “absolute miracle.”
Firefighters responding to the scene noticed movement inside the wrecked car through binoculars. This was followed by a frantic rescue operation amid rain, strong winds and breaking waves.
They found the doors of the electric car stuck, so they had to remove the survivors from the vehicle using “jaws of life” tools. The two children suffered musculoskeletal injuries, while Dharmesh Patel and his wife Neha suffered traumatic injuries and had to be airlifted to a hospital.
Dharmesh Patel is reportedly a radiologist at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the Mission Hills area of Los Angeles. As a result of the accident, the Medical Center has issued a statement:
“Providence Holy Cross Medical Center is deeply saddened to learn of a traffic incident involving one of our physicians and his family.”
The statement added that people at the center were grateful that none of the family members suffered serious injuries.
Neighbors of the Patels expressed shock at the incident, calling the family “ideal neighbors.” Sarah Walker, a neighbour, told KABC that it looked like the family had a great holiday as they had just gone and seen Dharmesh and Neha’s parents. Walker added that everything seemed “very happy and great”. Other neighbors remember the family as “lovely people” and are unable to think of a reason behind Dharmesh Patel’s alleged actions.
