‘We Need Him in Our Lives’: Wife of Doctor Who Drove Family Off Cliff Pleads to Drop Attempted Murder Charges
- Attorneys for Dharmesh Patel, who pleaded not guilty, are asking the defendant admitted to a two-year mental health diversion program rather than face trial and potential life sentence.
The wife of a California doctor accused of intentionally driving a Tesla off a cliff with his family inside made an emotional plea in court on Thursday. Neha Patel, according to news reports, begged prosecutors to drop attempted murder charges against her husband Dharmesh Patel, insisting he needs mental health treatment, not prison time, following the shocking January 2023 incident.
“We need him in our lives,” Neha Patel told the judge through tears, according to reports. She described her husband as her “best friend” and said their children have been devastated by his prolonged absence, with their young son asking “When’s Daddy coming home?”
Patel, a radiologist, faces three counts of attempted murder for allegedly driving his Tesla off a 250-foot cliff along the Pacific Coast Highway in an apparent murder-suicide attempt. Miraculously, he and his two children survived the plunge, though all were hospitalized with serious injuries.
Attorneys are seeking to have Patel admitted to a two-year mental health diversion program rather than face trial and potential life sentence. A psychologist testified last week that Patel suffered a psychotic episode fueled by delusional fears about his children being harmed amid issues like the fentanyl crisis.
“He’s depressed. He’s a doctor. He said he was going to drive off the cliff. He purposefully drove off,” Neha initially told first responders, indicating he was suicidal.
However, on Thursday she reversed course, insisting her husband of 25 years had “never had an episode” previously. She pleaded for a chance to reunite their family through treatment.
“Now that we understand and know he has a treatable condition, things will be different,” Neha stated, vowing to prioritize “the health and safety of my family” going forward.
Prosecutors are opposing the mental health diversion, arguing the allegations of a premeditated murder attempt are too severe. But Patel’s wife remains steadfast in her desire for reconciliation, telling the court “We’re not a family without him.”
The judge will ultimately decide if the disturbing case merits an alternative resolution through court-ordered psychiatric care instead of criminal proceedings. The emotional testimony highlighted the devastation caused by the incident and a family’s desperate hopes to heal.