Dharmesh Patel: Wife Neha says he INTENTIONALLY tried to kill her and their two children by driving Tesla off California cliff
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PASADENA, CALIFORNIA: The wife of a California doctor, who allegedly attempted to take his own life along with the lives of his wife and two minor children, has reportedly confessed before the paramedics that “he intentionally tried to kill us”. The apparent bid of the murder-suicide, involving Dharmesh Patel, his wife Neha Patel, a 7-year-old daughter, and a 4-year-old son happened on January 2.
The 42-year-old man was driving a Tesla before allegedly willingly taking his car off 'Devil's Side' cliff in California’s San Mateo County. The four people inside the vehicle reportedly fell 250 to 300ft down but miraculously survived and were rescued safely by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and additional emergency personnel.
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‘We have multiple people who heard her say that’
Following the horrific episode, Dharmesh was reportedly slapped with three counts of attempted murder charges after his arrest on January 27. He is currently being held at San Mateo County Jail. Now, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe has told PEOPLE that the accused’s wife had an interaction with the paramedics on that fateful day at the scene and she told them, “He intentionally tried to kill us.”
The DA explained, “She made that statement when asked, 'What happened? What happened?’ 'He intentionally tried to kill us.' … We have multiple people who heard her say that.” Wagstaffe also shared that the woman, who is still in the hospital receiving treatment, “didn't get into detail. She was then quickly rendered medical aid and that was the statements from her,” before adding, “She has an attorney and we're being advised that, through the attorney, that at this point while she's hospitalized, she does not seek to submit to an interview.”
‘There has been no determination as to what driving mode the Tesla was in’
A statement was issued by CHP - San Francisco on January 3, which said, “There has been no determination as to what driving mode the Tesla was in; however, that does not appear to be a contributing factor in this incident. CHP investigators worked throughout the night interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence from the scene. Based on the evidence collected, investigators developed probable cause to believe this incident was an intentional act.”
Besides, Wagstaffe has reportedly now stated that after checking with “two separate drivers behind him who watched what occurred and were able to provide information about lack of brake lights.” Officers probing the case have also retrieved footage from Tom Lantos tunnels, close to the scene that “clearly shows his car coming out of the tunnel, going up the hill, making a right turn off the road into a dirt area at the top. And then a sharp right turn down and over the edge and down the cliff,” the district attorney mentioned.
‘Why would he do this?’
Wagstaffe then continued, “There were three people that we believe he was trying to kill. He also wanted to kill himself, obviously. And so, that was an effort to be a murder-suicide. Why would he do this? I'm now convinced that this was an intentional act by him,” as he remarked, “But then, why did he do this? Why did he want to kill the three people he, one would assume, loved the most in human life?
“They're [the California Highway Patrol's Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT)]doing the full examination of it to see, 'Did the brakes go out? Do we have flat tires? Whatever they could determine from the vehicle… But there was nothing immediately that would indicate any type of vehicle disability or problem.”
“I am convinced that, on the evidence we have at this point, that it was an intentional act. Now, again, multiple things could occur, and this happens in criminal cases where the family comes forward and they give us a description of some things that put a different light on it. Or the wife comes forward and says, 'Let me tell you what occurred and to explain it.’ Or the CHP MAIT team comes back and says, 'Look it, there was a mechanical difficulty with the vehicle.' So the facts, the whole story, is not out yet. It's just the story we have right now, it certainly appears this was an intentional act to us and that's why we filed the charges. But we'll learn, we'll find out hopefully more as time goes on,” he concluded.