— Judge was required by law to dismiss charges after completion of mental health treatment
July 7, 2026
• 3 min read
All charges against a radiologist accused of trying to kill his family in 2023 by driving his car off a cliff along the Northern California coast have been dismissed by a judge following his completion of a mental health program.
Prosecutors charged Dharmesh Patel, MD, 45, with attempted murder after he drove his Tesla off a 250-foot cliff along the Pacific Coast Highway in San Mateo County, injuring his wife and two young children. All four survived the Jan. 2, 2023, crash in what one official called an "absolute miracle."
