CA - Tesla crash off cliff shocked rescuers, Dr. dad arrested for attempted murder of family, Devil’s Slide, Jan 2023

[katydid23]

Wow. One wonders what kind of conversations they must have been having, if this wasn't something they had done before.

They had just left their holiday visit at his in-laws. Maybe that family visit didn't go too well? I wonder if there is some kind of family dissension or something that triggered him on the way home?

When you leave your in-laws home, the car ride is often the first time you get to discuss whatever it was that created issues.

 

[cvaldez1975]

If the above article is correct, instead of driving directly to Pasadena from Dublin he drove to the coast.


View attachment 393986

Dublin to Devils Slide

www.google.com

yea devils slide is way out of the way. from dublin they would hop on 580 to the 5.

 

[Jinkasaurus]

I haven't looked at a map of the area, but is it possible for someone to make a u-turn at this point and accidentally go over the edge? In other words, could he have had a valid reason to make a u-turn at this point?

 

[SouthAussie]

I haven't looked at a map of the area, but is it possible for someone to make a u-turn at this point and accidentally go over the edge? In other words, could he have had a valid reason to make a u-turn at this point?

I have looked at the area - and followed the highway - on Google street view. From what I can see, the road is lined with guard rails to stop a vehicle driving off the cliffs.





Any part that does not have a guard rail is a lookout, where a person would likely have to purposely drive up onto the dirt to drive off the cliff. imo
The description of this incident is that he did a u-turn, drove onto the dirt, then off the cliff (according to witnesses mentioned in previous MSM). Presumably at a lookout point, due to the guard rails that seem to be everywhere else.



Images from Sept 2022

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

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[DrQ]

IMHO These situations never cease to amaze me. When I saw the picture of the car my first thought was "Gee, I wonder if this was on purpose?" How sad for the family. It will be difficult to move beyond having your Dad allegedly try to kill all of you. I don't know everyone's options but this one doesn't look like a good one.

 

[arielilane]

Neighbors Left Confused After Seemingly 'Great Guy' Drove Tesla Off Cliff with 'Idyllic Family' Inside​

"Maybe it was a moment of insanity," one neighbor said of Dharmesh Arvind Patel driving a Tesla over 250 feet over a cliff allegedly on purpose​

A neighborhood is still in shock after a father drove a Tesla carrying his wife and two young children over a notorious California cliff earlier this month –– allegedly intentionally.

Neighbors Left Confused After Seemingly 'Great Guy' Drove Tesla Off Cliff with 'Idyllic Family' Inside

The neighbors of Dharmesh Patel are expressing shock after he drove a Tesla carrying his wife and two young children over a cliff allegedly on purpose.

people.com

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

DA probing Tesla brakes after doctor accused of murdering family

Dharmesh Patel, 41, was initially arrested on suspicion of attempting to murder his wife Neha, 41, their two children after allegedly making a U-turn at Devil's Slide in California on January 2.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

hmmm, it is the DM but an interesting new article. Haven't heard from anyone in the immediate family yet - must explore everything. Did he flip the u-turn to check out the view from the overlook and the brakes failed? I'm all ears.

 

[iamnotagolem]

Surely the wife could have answered that question, right? Wouldn't they have talked to her before ever arresting him? I can't imagine there wasn't a conversation before driving off the cliff. If the brakes failed would he have said something to indicate that?

 

[iamshadow21]

DA probing Tesla brakes after doctor accused of murdering family

Dharmesh Patel, 41, was initially arrested on suspicion of attempting to murder his wife Neha, 41, their two children after allegedly making a U-turn at Devil's Slide in California on January 2.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I'm not concerned about this. They would have to check over the car completely and prove everything was functioning correctly in the lead up to the crash before this went to trial or the defense would create reasonable doubt without breaking a sweat. They are being thorough and methodical so that if it comes to trial, there is no hairline crack of uncertainty that a good defense team could exploit. I want them to test all the things. A Tesla is basically a computer on wheels. It has a black box, essentially. It, as well as the more mechanical testing, will be able to show clearly what happened.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Surely the wife could have answered that question, right? Wouldn't they have talked to her before ever arresting him? I can't imagine there wasn't a conversation before driving off the cliff. If the brakes failed would he have said something to indicate that?

I don't recall hearing anything from the wife yet, but I agree she obviously could clear this up... maybe... who knows what else was going on... if this was intentional, as has been reported, will she stand by her man? Defend his actions? No reports of any DV previously at this point so we wait.

 

[lcookster]

I hope the wife and children have family nearby and the financial wherewithal to recover and rebuild after this. I am very sick and tired of domestic partner abuse/murder. Making a fast u-turn sounds like he saw an opportunity and went for it. Perhaps they were in the middle of an argument? I think we would be hearing if his wife strenuously objected to the arrest.

 

[arielilane]

Driver of Tesla That Went Over Calif. Cliff with His Family Inside Moved to Jail from Hospital​

Driver of Tesla That Went Over Calif. Cliff with His Family Inside Moved to Jail from Hospital

Dharmesh Arvind Patel, the driver of a Tesla that fell around 250 feet over a Califonia cliff, has been released from the hospital and jailed on suspicion of attempted murder and child abuse

people.com

Days after the crash, neighbors described Patel, wife Neha and their two kids as an "idyllic" family at the end of their cul-de-sac with "no indication of issues" during a conversation with the Times. Patel, who worked at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, was often seen playing outside with his kids, neighbors said.

"Really I can't believe it," neighbor Sarah Walker told the outlet. "No one can believe it. They felt like newlyweds. The way they interact and look at each other, it just felt like they should be together."

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1620149857779327000

 

[Lonicera]

Man who drove Tesla off cliff with family inside charged with attempted murder
"Based on the evidence collected, investigators developed probable cause to believe this incident was an intentional act," CHP said at the time.

 

[MissUnderstood]

Wonder if this was a spontaneous rage thing or, the good DR was into something financially shady and was about to come undone! These weak *advertiser censored* men usually take out the whole family for the selfish reason that they wouldn’t have to live with any shame that he has caused! Pathetic whatever the reason moo

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1620531617365114880

 

[Lonicera]

The cup is full: I am tired of commenting on these murders committed by unstructured men . I raised three sons: none of them committed murder.It takes a strong way and lots of reading .

 

[BrownRice]

There you have it. Wife says he tried to kill us.

Dharmesh Patel’s wife said he ‘intentionally tried to kill’ family by driving Telsa off cliff

“He intentionally tried to kill us,” a “screaming” Neha Patel after her family’s “absolute miracle” survival on Jan. 2.

nypost.com

She then started “screaming” about her husband’s “intentionality” to kill her and their two kids, a 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Specifically, Wagstaffe told the Los Angeles Times that Neha Patel said: “He intentionally tried to kill us.”

“She said very simply this was not an accident,” Wagstaffe told the LA paper of the plunge that officials have called “an absolute miracle” that all four survived, with the youngest walking away with just bruises.”

……………………….
They had to wait hours to be rescued. Can you imagine the wife stuck in the car presumably trying to keep her injured kids calm. Knowing the man she loved just tried to kill them.

 

[iamshadow21]

They had to wait hours to be rescued. Can you imagine the wife stuck in the car presumably trying to keep her injured kids calm. Knowing the man she loved just tried to kill them.

RSBM

I can't imagine the reserves of courage she had to draw on. It's unthinkable.

I wish health and healing for her and her two precious children. I hope she has strong supports waiting for her when she recovers enough to be discharged.