Indian-American who crashed Tesla down cliff with family inside suffered 'depressive episode' say doctors

livemint.com:

Indian-American man who drove his Tesla off a cliff with his family inside was grappling with major depressive disorder and experienced a psychotic break during the incident, according to an LA Times report. The incident in question involves Dr Dharmesh Patel, a radiologist from Pasadena, who faced three counts of attempted murder after he drove his family's Tesla off Devil’s Slide cliff on Highway 1 near Half Moon Bay (California), as per prosecutors. The doctors, Mark Patterson and James Armontrout, presented their testimony in support of Patel's defence.

They affirmed that at the time of the crash, Patel was undergoing a psychotic episode, with beliefs centred on the fear of his children being involved in sex trafficking, according to District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe. In light of his mental state, Patel has sought mental health diversion, a measure that could lead to his release from jail and enrolment in a two-year treatment programme. Should Patel comply with the conditions and refrain from criminal activity during this period, the charges against him would be dismissed, the report added.

However, prosecutors contest this diversion plea. They argue that their own medical expert diagnosed Patel with schizoaffective disorder rather than major depressive disorder, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the proposed treatment plan. Prosecutors advocate for the case to proceed in court, expressing concerns over the lack of monitoring if Patel is released.