Man who drove Tesla off Bay Area cliff with family facing charges

After visiting family in the Bay Area in early January, Dharmesh Patel drove southbound through the Tom Lantos Tunnel with his wife and two young kids.

Suddenly, his white Tesla veered onto the dirt shoulder of curvy Highway 1 and the Southern California doctor yanked the steering wheel to the right without braking, catapulting his car 250 feet off a cliff, according to prosecutors and video evidence.

Statements from his wife — who survived the crash, along with her husband, 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son — and motorists driving behind Patel, along with videos from the tunnel, led San Mateo County prosecutors to file three counts of attempted murder charges Monday against Patel, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. Prosecutors included enhancements for domestic violence and causing great bodily injuries, according to charging documents.

Read original article here

Leave a Comment