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A father-of-two has been arrested after ‘intentionally’ launching his Tesla with his family off California’s ‘Devil’s Side’ cliff, police said.
Dr. Dharmesh Arvind Patel, 41, of Pasadena, was charged with attempted murder and child abuse after he, his wife, also 41, and their two children, ages four and seven, were found Monday 250 feet down a cliff.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has determined that “based on the evidence collected, investigators developed probable cause to believe that this incident was an intentional act.”
The radiologist will be booked into the San Mateo County Jail after he is released from the hospital, where he is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Dr. Dharmesh Arvind Patel, 41, of Pasadena, was charged with attempted murder and child abuse after he, his wife and their two children, ages four and seven, were found 250 feet down a cliff Monday in his Tesla (pictured)
Patel will be booked into the San Mateo County Jail after he is released from the hospital.
California Highway Patrol believes accident was ‘intentional’
His wife Neha, also 41, was also injured and their children moderately injured.
CHP also said it was not sure what “driving mode” the Tesla was in when the accident occurred, but that it “does not appear to be a contributing factor in this incident.”
The agency did not explain why Patel was believed to have intentionally driven off the cliff with his family.
Authorities said they first received a call about a Tesla sped off scenic California Highway 1 near Pacifica and plunged off the cliff south of the Tom Lantos Tunnel around 10:50 a.m. Monday.
Robin Johnson was driving at the time and recalled thinking, ‘Wow, he’s driving extremely fast to take that exit. You’re not even supposed to go up that road.
“And I can see in my rear view mirror that this car just goes over the edge and goes down,” he told NBC Bay Area.
Johnson said that’s when he decided to call 911.
About 30 to 50 rescuers immediately responded to the scene and attempted to reach the electric vehicle, which was estimated to be about 250 feet below the road.
CHP said that “based on the evidence” it determined there was “probable cause” that the crash was intentional, but did not elaborate on what evidence led them to that conclusion.
Rescuers used ropes to rappel down the slope carrying Jaws of Life with them to break open the gate, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
They did not expect to find anyone alive inside the vehicle and were surprised when all four people were found alive and conscious inside.
At that time, the crews first worked with the children from the car, KTVU reports, and were able to hoist them up the road with ropes. Once back on the ground, they were placed on stretchers and assessed for injuries.
But authorities still had to rescue the parents and needed air support to do so.
Patel and his wife had to be rescued by helicopter after the crash.
Dramatic videos posted online by CalFire showed helicopters hovering over water to pick up the adults and bring them to a landing area where lifeguards awaited them.
The helicopter pilots were careful to keep a safe distance between themselves and the rocky cliff as they dug through the wreckage to rescue the parents.
Once they were released, the entire family was immediately transported to Stanford Medical Center.
“We came here, unfortunately for things like this,” Brian Pottenger, Coastside Fire Protection District battalion chief, said in a statement. “And it was nothing short of a miracle that they survived.”