The tragic story of Dharmesh A Patel, a California doctor accused of deliberately driving his Tesla 250ft off a cliff with his family inside, has left many people in disbelief.
On the 2nd of January, Patel drove his Model Y electric vehicle off a cliff with his wife Neha, their four-year-old son, and their seven-year-old daughter inside. Miraculously, all four survived the crash, though Patel remains hospitalized.
Though the California Highway Patrol investigators have not yet announced a motive behind the incident, one can only speculate on the possible cause.
The Patel family’s neighbors have expressed shock and concern over the incident. They described the family as “beautiful” and “idyllic” with no indication of any issues.
Since 2017, police have visited his Pasadena home nine times, responding to reports of suspicious persons and burglary alarms. Though none of the callouts were for domestic disturbances, the incident has raised questions about the life of this seemingly “idyllic” family.
“They’re a beautiful, idyllic family, no indication of issues,” said Roger Newmark, who has lived there for more than 40 years. “It’s so strange because he is a great guy. Maybe it was a moment of insanity.”
Surveillance video taken at Roger Newmark’s home on Christmas Eve showed Patel delivering a festive poinsettia plant for his neighbors. He was seen leaving the plant and a Christmas card with a relative who was taking care of the house. While it seemed like a gesture of goodwill, it has now raised questions about the mental state of the doctor.
Patel, a doctor in radiology at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the Mission Hills area of Los Angeles, remains hospitalized along with the rest of his family.
A statement by the hospital was given saying, “Providence Holy Cross Medical Center is deeply saddened to learn of a traffic incident involving one of our physicians and his family. We are extremely grateful there were no serious injuries. We will not respond further, as this incident is under investigation.”
