The man accused ofpurposefully driving his Tesla off a California cliffon Monday is a radiologist, and the passengers in the crashed vehicle were his wife and two children, multiple outlets report.
Dharmesh A. Patel’s bio on theU.S. News and World Reportwebsite says that Patel works as a radiologist in Mission Hills, California, and is “affiliated withProvidence Holy Cross Medical Center.”
“He received his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine and has been in practice between 11-20 years,” the site states.
Dharmesh A. Patel and his family.Facebook
Patel was trapped inside his vehicle with wife Neha, 41, as well as their two children, a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy, before they were saved in a dramatic, multi-agency rescue.
Scenes from the Tesla crash rescue.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
Shaun Bouyea of the California Highway Patrol, who assisted in the rescue, tells PEOPLE that he hadn’t seen a crash – or a recovery – quite like that before. “I’ve seen people go over cliffs and survive, but never from [300 feet],” he says. “Also, it’s unusual for that many people to be in the car and to have them all survive.”
He also noted that seeing the two children moving around inside the vehicle “changed the tone” of the rescue. “Hearing that a car went 300 feet off a cliff, and then seeing victims still alive — that boosted hope for everyone, and changed the tone from somber to something more miraculous.”
Officials assisting at the scene.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
The cliff is colloquially known as the Devil’s Slide, and has been the site of a number of fatalities over the years. It’s located near Pacifica, about 15 miles South of San Francisco, along the famous coastal Highway 1. The route, which runs almost the entire length of California’s Pacific coastline, attracts tourists from around the world.
After investigating through Tuesday morning, the CHP said “investigators developed probable cause to believe this incident was an intentional act.” The CHP has not specified what led them to that conclusion.
The CHP added that they do not currently think the Telsa’s self-drive feature was a factor in the crash. “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,” the CHP release said.
In a video update shared on Monday,Brian Pottenger, a battalion chief for Coastside Fire Protection District/Cal Fire, said that damage to the vehicle suggested it “flipped several times” before landing, on its wheels, upon the beach.
When they first arrived, Pottenger said that authorities did not know how many people were inside, but that they could see there was “movement in the front seat.”
“We knew we had at least one person that was alive,” he noted. “We were actually very shocked.”
Pottenger said from the scene that authorities “come out here unfortunately all too oftenfor things like this” and the victims “never live,” he stated, per the AP. “This was anabsolute miracle.”
Helicopter assisting in dramatic Tesla rescue.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
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Patel is being treated at Stanford Hospital. He will be booked at San Mateo County Jail after he’s discharged. The current health status of his wife and children is not clear.
On Tuesday, the hospital where Patel works released the following statement: “Providence Holy Cross Medical Center is deeply saddened to learn of a traffic incident involving one of our physicians and his family. We are extremely grateful there were no serious injuries. We will not respond further, as this incident is under investigation.”
It is unclear whether Patel has issued a plea to the charges against him, or retained a lawyer who can comment on his behalf.
source: people.com
