Charges Dropped for California Radiologist After Mental-Health Diversion Completion

A California radiologist, Dharmesh Patel, had all charges—initially including attempted murder—dismissed after completing a two-year mental-health diversion program with treatment from a Stanford psychiatrist and a family therapist. The 2023 incident, in which he drove a Tesla off a 250-foot cliff along the Pacific Coast Highway, injured his wife and two children but left them alive, led to regulatory scrutiny (including a Medical Board license suspension). The judge’s dismissal followed California’s 2023 mental-health diversion framework, with prosecutors signaling they will seek changes to curb eligibility for such cases in the future.