The Pasadena physician charged with the tried homicide of his spouse and their two younger youngsters by deliberately driving their Tesla off the slide of a 250ft cliff has been pictured right this moment for the primary time.
Dharmesh A. Patel, 42, works as a radiologist at Windfall Holy Cross Medical Middle in Pasadena.
He’s accused of deliberately driving his white Tesla Mannequin Y off a cliff referred to as Satan’s Slide on Monday close to San Francisco, throughout a visit north.
Miraculously, all 4 family members – Patel, his spouse Neha and their children aged 4 and 7 – survived with none severe accidents.
Dharmesh A. Patel works as a radiologist at Windfall Holy Cross Medical Middle in Pasadena. He’s charged with tried homicide and youngster abuse for allegedly deliberately driving his spouse and their two children off the aspect of a cliff of their Tesla
The rescue effort at nightfall on Monday after emergency groups realized the household was alive
The household by some means miraculously survived a 250ft drop from the freeway down a cliff edge referred to as ‘Satan’s Facet’
There is no such thing as a indication the automobile was in self-driving mode when it veered off the highway. The automobile’s interiors remained largely intact regardless of the massive drop
The large drop from the freeway to the scene of the crash. The relations have been airlifted to security
Initially, there have been questions over whether or not the automobile – which is known for its self-driving know-how – had gone rogue and brought the household off the highway by mistake.
Now, some are asking whether or not the automobile – which has airbags adjoining to the 2 entrance seats along with in entrance of them – really saved them.
On Tuesday, police charged Patel with tried murder and youngster abuse, alleging that the incident was an tried murder-suicide gone incorrect.
He stays within the San Mateo County Jail right this moment.
It is unclear whether or not his spouse and youngsters are nonetheless receiving therapy within the hospital, or if they’ve been discharged.
Neighbors informed CBS Information of their shock after studying the allegations towards Patel.
Sheriff’s deputies work to free the automobile after the household was airlifted to security
Rescue groups needed to abseil down the aspect of the cliff whereas others used helicopters to attempt to attain the household
The scene of the rescue. California Freeway Patrolmen mentioned they have been shocked once they obtained nearer to the automobile and realizes its occupants have been nonetheless alive
Witnesses mentioned they noticed the automobile driving at excessive pace alongside the freeway earlier than it veered off track
The Tesla Mannequin Y – which is the automobile the household was in – has a number of airbags. There are entrance airbags, seat-mounted aspect airbags, and curtain airbags, all of which appeared to inflate. Police are but to substantiate whether or not this saved the household
Elon Musk responded to a fan account in regards to the household surviving the crash by saying ‘Excellent news.’ The fan account mentioned the Tesla saved the Patel household, which is but to be confirmed
Roger Newmark, who lives a number of doorways down from the household on a leafy Pasadena road, mentioned: ‘They’re the sweetest couple they usually have the best two little children.’
The hospital the place Patel works launched a press release on Tuesday.
‘Windfall Holy Cross Medical Middle is deeply saddened to be taught of a site visitors incident involving one in all our physicians and his household.
‘We’re extraordinarily grateful there have been no severe accidents. We won’t reply additional, as this incident is below investigation.’
Amongst these to touch upon the case was Tesla founder Elon Musk.
Neighbors described the household as ‘candy’ and ‘nice’. They have been shocked to be taught of the fees towards Patel
In response to a tweet about how the household survived, Musk mentioned: ‘Excellent news.’
His followers say the truth that all of them did survive is proof of simply how secure Tesla automobiles are.
Police are but to finish their investigation into the crash, and are but to substantiate why they suppose the household survived.
They suppose the automobile suffered one preliminary hit, then flipped a number of occasions within the air earlier than touchdown upright, on its wheels.
‘The injury to the automobile would point out that it hit, after which flipped a number of occasions,’ Brian Pottenger, battalion chief with Cal Hearth’s Coastside Hearth Safety District, mentioned afterwards.
The household’s house in Pasadena the place neighbors described them as ‘candy’ and ‘nice’