Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jul 7
Judge Dismisses 3 Attempted Murder Charges Against Patel After 2-Year Mental Health Diversion
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jul 7

Judge Dismisses 3 Attempted Murder Charges Against Patel After 2-Year Mental Health Diversion

3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jul 7

Summary

  • Monday's mental health court hearing ended the case against 45-year-old Dharvish Arvin Patel, with Judge Sharon Cho dismissing all charges, lifting a no-harassment order and releasing his passport.
  • Two years in diversion entitled Patel to a full dismissal after a 2024 ruling found him suitable for treatment based on major depressive disorder, prosecutors said.
  • Patel had been accused of driving his Tesla off a 250-foot cliff at Devil's Slide after leaving the Tom Lantos Tunnel on Highway 1 with his wife and two young children inside.
  • All four survived the plunge, with one child suffering minor injuries; after his jail release, Patel was monitored by GPS, ordered to live with his parents and barred from alcohol and drugs.

Insights

A doctor drove his family off a cliff and his charges were dismissed. Is this justice or a dangerous precedent?
His wife accused him of attempted murder, then supported his release. What is the future for a family that survived this?