Tesla Driver Deemed Psychotic
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As you might recall, back at the beginning of 2023 a Tesla plunged off Highway 1 in Northern California, falling down a cliff to the rocks below, narrowly missing the ocean. Miraculously, the two adults and two children inside survived. After a daring rescue, police shocked everyone with the revelation that they believe the driver purposely drove off the cliff with his family in an attempt to kill them all.
Swerving to avoid a deer, a driver caused an even bigger accident.
Now that driver, Dharmesh Patel, a respected radiologist from Pasadena, is on trial. Two doctors who testified in court last week said they believe Patel suffered a psychotic break when he drove the Tesla off the cliff.
That might sound like a ploy to defend someone’s awful actions, but the Los Angeles Times says Patel has been suffering from a “major depressive order” and at the time of the crash sincerely believed his children were going to be sex trafficked.
These testimonies were part of a motion to get a mental health diversion for the case. Obviously, Patel and his attorneys don’t want him sitting in the general population of a prison and one can only imagine why.
If successful, Patel would be put into treatment for two years. So long as he doesn’t commit more crimes or break rules of the program, successfully completing it, he would have the three charges of attempted homicide and everything else against him dropped.
We know what you’re thinking: this case proves that Teslas are in fact quite tough. After all, how many cars would keep everyone inside alive after plunging off a 250-foot cliff and onto the rocks below? Out of modern vehicles, we honestly don’t know since it’s not a common crash test practice. But we do know the Tesla disciples have used this tragedy to evangelize others on the supposedly superior safety of the EVs.
As far as Patel, some will think the man is trying to get away with attempted murder of his wife and kids. Other will think he has serious mental health issues and needs help, not incarceration. We can’t imagine trying to murder one’s family like this, mental breakdown or no.
Image via NBC News/YouTube
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