iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
The wife of a California-based Indian American doctor who allegedly drove his car over a California cliff with his family inside has appealed to the court to spare him prison time and instead send him for mental health treatment.
Dharmesh Arvind Patel was accused of driving his Tesla off a 250-foot cliff at Devil’s Slide on January 2, last year and has been charged with three counts of attempted murder.
On May 2 his wife Neha Patel made a statement in court (via Zoom), asking the judge hearing his case to consider mental health treatment, according to reports in The San Francisco Chronicle, and other media outlets. Neha, said that their 7-year-old girl, and their 4-year-old boy were all in the car with Dharmesh at the time of the January 2023 crash.
“I don’t want to see Dharmesh prosecuted with any of his charges. I am pleading with the court to grant him his mental health diversion,” The Chronicle report has quoted Neha. Dharmesh’s defense attorney Josh Bentley had previously told KNTV in February that his wife did not want him to face prosecution. “Seeing my kids in constant pain is one of the hardest things I’ve had to endure. Once I tuck my children into bed at night I’m reminded of my own solitude. I miss my best friend. I really miss my partner in my life,” she told the court.
Patel, who has been stripped of his medical license, was eligible for a mental health diversion hearing at the Mental Health Diversion Court on April 24, under Judge Susan Jakubowski. Patel’s defense attorney Joshua Bentley brought two witnesses to testify: psychologist Dr. Mark Patterson and psychiatrist Dr. James Armontrout.
District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaffe told indica [Read April 26], “Dr. Patterson and Dr. Armontrout are from Stanford University. Dr. Armontrout will be the treating psychiatrist if the court grants mental health diversion. Dr. Patterson is just a local psychologist. Both had the same conclusion: that the defendant suffered from major depressive disorder, it is in remission and he would do well in mental health diversion.”
Clinical and forensic psychologist Patterson testified in court that Patel can respond to treatment. Patel he said is a good candidate for the ‘diversion program’ as during the last year he has shown good progress and is not likely to harm anyone else.
Defense attorney Bentley on July 7 last year made a motion for mental health diversion “pursuant to Penal Code section 1001.36” and indicated the qualifying mental illness is a major depressive disorder.
The Medical Board of California had barred Patel from practicing radiology, but Wagstaffe is not certain he will be able to practice even if he is let off after the treatment. “He tried to kill his whole family and he is very mentally ill,” Wagstaffe said. After the incident, Wagstaffe had said that both parents were injured in the crash, their daughter was hospitalized and their son had sustained bumps and bruises, but no injuries. Then, Neha had allegedly told paramedics that “he [Patel] intentionally tried to kill us,” per Wagstaffe. Wagstaffe said at the time that Neha’s accusation was heard by many people at the accident site.
Judge Susan Jakubowski will determine if Dharmesh poses a public safety threat and if mental health contributed to his decision. Neha spoke on the second day of the hearing for 10 minutes, describing her husband as a “productive member of society”. Dharmesh and Neha have been married for the last 16 years.
Neha also claimed that their son came into her bedroom crying once to ask, “When is Daddy coming home? He’s taking so long and I miss him,” according to The Chronicle. “We need him in our lives and it has been over a year and a half since my children or I have seen or spoken to Dharmesh,” she said, according to the outlet. “We are not a family without him. The mental health treatment … will not only restore him back to himself but will restore our family,” Neha added.
Deputy District Attorney Dominique Davis called on sole witness Dr. Yan Chan on Thursday, as he testified that he reached the diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder for Dharmesh. The Mayo Clinic reports that the illness is “marked by a combination of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression or mania.”
Chan added that Dharmesh showed signs of “underreporting” his symptoms and told first responders that the crash was an accident initially. Chan also revealed that, at one point, the doctor believed his mailman was “out to get him.”
Neha said in court that her husband “never had an episode” in the 25 years that she knew him. “Now that we understand and know he has a treatable condition, things will be different,” she said. “I want members of the court to know the health and safety of my family is of paramount importance.”