BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer
The doctor who drove a Tesla containing his wife and two children over Devil’s Slide on the coast side was charged today (Jan. 30) with three counts of attempted murder, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.
Dr. Dharmesh A. Patel, 41, of Pasadena, his wife and children 4 and 7 all survived the crash on Jan. 2.
Wagstaffe said yesterday that cameras along Highway 1 caught the crash on tape. Additionally, the people in the car behind the Patel family gave statements saying they never saw brake lights before the family plunged down the 250-foot cliff.
So far, there is no evidence that the car had malfunctioned and its autopilot function was not on at the time of the crash. But Wagstaffe said the CHP’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team, or MAIT unit, has taken the car for investigation and will produce a report.
Patel’s wife and children have not been interviewed by the DA’s office. Patel’s wife is still in the hospital and is not yet ready to speak with investigators. The couple’s children are staying with family. Investigators have not interviewed the children either.
Judge Jeff Finigan issued a no-harassment order against Patel and his family, meaning Patel can contact his wife, but cannot harass her. The DA’s office wanted a restraining order.
Patel remains in jail on no bail status and will be back in court on Feb. 9.
That family looks like the picture that comes in the frame when you purchase it. What’s the motive?
Before jumping to conclusions, the investigation into Tesla’s autopilot and crash avoidance software (and hardware) systems should be investigated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found dozens of examples in the past where these features on certain Tesla models failed to detect hazards.
The wife and kids told the ambulance workers the guy intentionally drove over the cliff. No need to blame the autopilot or collision avoidance system.
Can you provide a link to back that up? The articles says: “Patel’s wife and children have not been interviewed by the DA’s office. Patel’s wife is still in the hospital and is not yet ready to speak with investigators.”
As you know, this site doesn’t allow links but Google the LA Times article on 1/30/23 headlined “‘He intentionally tried to kill us’: Wife’s statement to paramedics key to charges against Tesla driver who drove family off cliff”
Mrs Patel made the allegations to ambulance workers, the DA says.
Many other media outlets including the Daily Post have reported the same.
One of the exceptions to the Federal Rules of Evidence is the Excited Utterance, or when a witness states something during or immediately after a potenial crime event while they are still startled or in shock.