Attempted murder charges against Dharmesh Patel, a 45-year-old California radiologist, were dismissed by a San Mateo County judge on July 7, 2026. Patel had been charged after allegedly driving his Tesla off a 300-foot cliff at Devil's Slide on the Pacific Coast Highway in January 2023, with his wife and two young children inside the vehicle. All family members survived the crash, but first responders had to cut them out of the wreckage.

Patel was ordered in July 2024 to complete a two-year mental health diversion program while living at his parents' home in Belmont under GPS monitoring. Reports from doctors indicated that Patel was doing well in the program, leading to the dismissal of the charges.

During a 2024 court hearing, Patel's lawyers argued that he was experiencing delusions influenced by the war in Ukraine and the fentanyl crisis in the United States. A psychologist noted that Patel’s greatest delusion was a fear that his children could be kidnapped and molested, which was linked to concerns about Jeffrey Epstein. Court documents also revealed that Patel was depressed at the time of the incident.

The case highlights the intersection of mental health issues and the criminal justice system in San Mateo County.

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