Washington:
An Indian-American radiologist who drove his family off a cliff suffered a “psychotic breakdown” and believed his children were at risk of sex trafficking, a psychologist testified about the case, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The radiologist, Dharmesh Patel, drove the Tesla carrying his wife and two children off a cliff in San Mareo County, resulting in the crash that occurred last January.
The expert witness called by Patel's lawyers, Dr. Mark Patterson, said in his testimony this Wednesday that he had met Patel many times since the Jan. 2, 2023, crash.
He said he was diagnosed with a major depressive disorder with a single episode of psychotic features and anxiety, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“Patel had heard footsteps in the weeks before the crash and believed he was being followed,” Patterson said.
“It was paranoid and a kind of delusion that he acted on at the time to protect his family from a worse fate,” he told the court, adding: “He was concerned that his children were at risk of being kidnapped, possibly for sexual purposes.” molestation.”
Patel has been charged by prosecutors with three counts of attempted murder, alleging he deliberately drove his white 2021 Tesla Model Y off a cliff.
Patel, who has pleaded not guilty, is currently trying to qualify for mental health treatment instead of prison time as part of a 2018 diversion law that was expanded last year.
Patel, who drove away in his Tesla with Neha and their two children in the car, was 41 at the time of the crash. Their 7-year-old suffered serious injuries, while their 4-year-old escaped largely physically unscathed.
Citing search warrant data, San Francisco Chronicle reported that Neha Patel repeatedly told rescuers that her husband had deliberately driven off the cliff to kill the family. She also said he had a mental disorder.
However, Patel told CHP officers in his statement that he was not taking any medications or under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Our staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)