Slayven

Never read a comic in his life
Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
96,662
www.nbcnews.com

A doctor who drove his family off a cliff will receive mental health care

Dharmesh Arvind Patel was ordered into a two-year diversion program. Three counts of attempted murder will be dropped if he completes it successfully.

A California doctor who drove a Tesla off a 250-foot cliff to try to kill his family will undergo two years of mental health treatment in a diversion program, a judge ruled Monday.
Rockstar lawyer
230103-tesla-accident-al-0720-31253e.jpg
 

Bentendo24

Member
Feb 20, 2020
5,667
Wow, what vehicle is that? How did no one die after that fall?

The engineers need to be applauded, they saved that family
 

Musubi

Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 25, 2017
25,069
Yeah fuck that. He should still be held responsible.
 

Dunlop

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,048
Horrible, imagine the endless fear that family will have when he is walking free again
 

Surakian

Shinra Employee
Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
11,559
I hope his family is making all efforts to get as far away from him as possible before those two years are over.
 

Thordinson

Banned
Aug 1, 2018
19,222
Diversion programs are better than shoving everyone in jail. I don't know if the particular details of this diversion are good enough though.

Horrible, imagine the endless fear that family will have when he is walking free again

He was always going to walk free even if this diversion program didn't exist.
 

julia crawford

Took the red AND the blue pills
Member
Oct 27, 2017
37,713
holy hell everyone survived from that?? i can't imagine what it's like to live after a scare like that
 

Soda

Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,430
Dunedin, New Zealand
I mean this reads like he had severe mental illness. I kinda get why they'd go the rehabilitation/treatment route over incarceration. I just hope it works and doesn't come back to haunt the judge. Still, being suicidal doesn't mean you gotta take out innocent folks with you, so dude is still an asshole even if he is suffering from depression.
 

krazen

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,008
Gentrified Brooklyn
Ehh, I mean this is easily a mental health issue but not comfortable with someone trying to kill three people making a deal that has a pre-described time to be served getting that mental health.

Particularly since part of the triggers had to do with how intimate he was with the victims, and how it looks like after those two years he will have access to them again. This aspect bothers me more; if he was having an episode and it was three strangers I might be less worried with this deal.
 
OP
OP
Slayven

Slayven

Never read a comic in his life
Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
96,662
I am not against the treatment plan, but considering how bad the crime was, it should be a life time thing. Mental Health is ongoing treatment, not an on/off thing
 

smisk

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,164
Apparently even his wife wanted him to get mental health treatment rather than prison. As long as he doesn't have other criminal history, I think this is a good thing.
 
Oct 28, 2017
29,425
Sweet Mercy, 250 foot drop and they lived to tell the tale? Also if the treatment works it's better than prison cause clearly dude was fucked up but I guess the problem is how can you be sure he is healthy enough to rejoin the world? That is a pretty heinous crime.
 

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
64,198
Imagine growing up knowing your father almost killed your and you mother. Just a horrible story

I hope his family is making all efforts to get as far away from him as possible before those two years are over.

Wife pleaded with the judge actually. She wants him back in the home. It was her testimony that probably got this ruling.
 

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
64,198
people.com

Wife of Doctor Who Drove Tesla Off Cliff Asks Court to Spare Him Prison: 'We Need Him in Our Lives'

The wife of Dharmesh Arvind Patel, the doctor accused of driving his family’s Tesla off a 250-foot cliff, asked a judge on Thursday, May 2, to rule toward mental health treatment instead of prison time for her husband.

Neha is his wife:

Neha, their 7-year-old girl and their 4-year-old boy were all in the car with Dharmesh at the time of the January 2023 crash.


The L.A. Times previously noted that the radiologist pleaded not guilty to his charges and was seeking mental health diversion — which would have him released from jail and put on a two-year treatment plan if granted.


"Seeing my kids in constant pain is one of the hardest things I've had to endure," Neha told the judge Thursday. "Once I tuck my children into bed at night I'm reminded of my own solitude. I really miss my best friend. I really miss my partner in my life."

I do hope he can be rehabilited and it's not a battered wife syndrome thing. Another thing, he seemed liked the breadwinner. Financial stress could also play a huge part. But I doubt he can practice medicine for now anyway. I heard medical boards are very vigilant about psychological issues, which can be detrimental for seeking care.
 
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PlayBee

One Winged Slayer
Member
Nov 8, 2017
6,014
Absolutely miraculous that everyone survived. The wreckage is wild
 

DieH@rd

Member
Oct 26, 2017
11,181
Pure miracle they survived, Tesla stayed in one peace.

That punishment though...
 

hockeypuck

Member
Oct 29, 2017
817
But I doubt he can practice medicine for now anyway. I heard medical boards are very vigilant about psychological issues, which can be detrimental for seeking care.
Unfortunately, medical boards are shit. He'll appeal after his two years since his record will be wiped clean and be granted back his medical license. Even if California doesn't budge, next door Nevada surely will since NV is more desperate for doctors and has a reputation for granting medical licenses to rejects from other states, or probably more accurately, to doctors who resigned from another state and chose not to renew their licenses. And since the doctor in the OP is a radiologist, he can work remotely.
 
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Bentendo24

Member
Feb 20, 2020
5,667
Truly the most important thing in all situations is making sure Tesla gets praised, and the haters get pwned.

It's legitimately funny to me that people thought I was making a joke when I actually am an idiot and didn't even see that it was a Tesla in the first sentence.

But hey, props to the safety team I guess.
 

Thordinson

Banned
Aug 1, 2018
19,222
I am not against the treatment plan, but considering how bad the crime was, it should be a life time thing. Mental Health is ongoing treatment, not an on/off thing

Most mental illnesses are not chronic. It isn't inherently lifelong.

Ehh, I mean this is easily a mental health issue but not comfortable with someone trying to kill three people making a deal that has a pre-described time to be served getting that mental health.

Particularly since part of the triggers had to do with how intimate he was with the victims, and how it looks like after those two years he will have access to them again. This aspect bothers me more; if he was having an episode and it was three strangers I might be less worried with this deal.

His wife asked the judge for this.

Most folks having an "episode" are going to hurt those closest to them, if they hurt anyone at all other than themselves and most don't, which is most often friends and family.
 

exodus

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,052
If you read the article this sounds like Schizophrenia or something similar. His wife is supportive of him getting treatment and it sounds treatable with therapy and medication. No one wants prison time, and it doesn't sounds like prison would do any good here.
 

thediamondage

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,541
wild story, i wonder if the judge takes into consideration any testimony/etc from the wife. I didn't see anything about the wife being pro/against this result in the article.

i hate driving along cliffs and stuff because i have that irrational fear that i will suddenly just drive the fuck off, it makes my butthole pucker up
 

Surakian

Shinra Employee
Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
11,559
This feels like a family afair. Not something other people should comment on
Nah, when you try to murder your family by driving off a cliff, it is absolutely not a "family affair".

And no situation like this or any domestic abuse case should be considered a private affair either. These are things we as a society need to discuss and bring to light to prevent.

people.com

Wife of Doctor Who Drove Tesla Off Cliff Asks Court to Spare Him Prison: 'We Need Him in Our Lives'

The wife of Dharmesh Arvind Patel, the doctor accused of driving his family’s Tesla off a 250-foot cliff, asked a judge on Thursday, May 2, to rule toward mental health treatment instead of prison time for her husband.

Neha is his wife:



I do hope he can be rehabilited and it's not a battered wife syndrome thing. Another thing, he seemed liked the breadwinner. Financial stress could also play a huge part. But I doubt he can practice medicine for now anyway. I heard medical boards are very vigilant about psychological issues, which can be detrimental for seeking care.
I mean, I understand wishing that he can be rehabilitated, but god…I don't know if I could forgive somebody who tried to kill my children even if it was in the midst of a mental breakdown.

But I suppose I am not her. She is a much more forgiving person.
 

Cat Party

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,816
This is a perversion of justice and I have no qualms in saying that. I have no patience whatsoever for men who try to harm their families and I literally do not care the reason for his actions, nor do I care that the wife wants him to stay out of jail. If he needs mental health treatment he can get it in prison.

Apparently even his wife wanted him to get mental health treatment rather than prison. As long as he doesn't have other criminal history, I think this is a good thing.
Lots of men who kill their families have no criminal history.
 

Thordinson

Banned
Aug 1, 2018
19,222
This is a perversion of justice and I have no qualms in saying that. I have no patience whatsoever for men who try to harm their families and I literally do not care the reason for his actions, nor do I care that the wife wants him to stay out of jail. If he needs mental health treatment he can get it in prison.

Reasons absolutely matter though. Not every case is the same.

He most likely would get little or subpar treatment in prison which doesn't help when he gets out.
 

Volimar

volunteer forum janitor
Member
Oct 25, 2017
42,430
I hope everyone in that family gets the help they need. Two years is hopefully just the start of his journey to recovery.
 

Pau

Self-Appointed Godmother of Bruce Wayne's Children
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,110
I am not against the treatment plan, but considering how bad the crime was, it should be a life time thing. Mental Health is ongoing treatment, not an on/off thing
Yeah, two year seems... very little at least without any sort of long term follow up plan. I say that as someone with family that has done similar things. But maybe that's in there and it just wasn't mentioned.

I'm sure a poor would get the same leniency and understanding.
This is the other thing. Restorative justice only exists for the rich.
 

Hercule

Member
Jun 20, 2018
6,003
lol wat. he attempted to kill 3 people.
Don't get me wrong. I have zero tolerance for wife beaters or domestic abuse but this reads like someone with clear mental health problems who had a breakdown. We don't know the severity of his problems nor past. My best friend committed suicide. When he had his episodes it was like he was someone else. There wasn't any point in reaching him.
 

Cat Party

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,816
Reasons absolutely matter though. Not every case is the same.
I agree that not every case of a man trying (or succeeding) to kill his family is the same. And I'm telling you that I don't care about why this guy or that guy decided that the solution to his problem was to harm those closest to him.
 

nullpotential

Member
Jun 24, 2024
46
Most mental illnesses are not chronic.

Do you have a citation for this? I am someone who suffers from mental illnesses. Have mental illnesses in family. From my tenuous understanding someone who is a danger to themselves/others probably has some deep-seated problems that need to be addressed.

If he needs mental health treatment he can get it in prison.

This is an extremely outdated and harmful view. This is what we used to do before we knew what mental illnesses even were: we locked everyone who couldn't slot comfortably into society up so the "normal" people wouldn't have to deal with them. Then we started torturing them to see if that helped at all (it didn't, surprisingly enough!)

Aside from the problems with the prison system on the whole, simply locking people up doesn't do much for society.

Connecting the Mentally Ill to Treatment – Not Jail
Mental health care at state prison is 'insufficient, and almost non-existent'
Locking up People with Mental Health Conditions Doesn't Make Anyone Safer
 

Nepenthe

When the music hits, you feel no pain.
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
22,402
I mean, part of the theory of restorative justice includes accounting for what the actual victims want, and if they want him to get treatment versus spending time in jail, you're not really doing them any favors by saying "No, your family member has to be ripped away from you for years/forever."

Now granted, I don't know if I'd be strong enough to advocate for treatment for someone who tried to fucking kill me and my children, but alas.

(I am also aware this is shit only afforded to rich people while poor folks are spending years in jail on harmless drug crimes. Theory is sound, but America remains a trash place.)
 

LogicAirForce

Member
Oct 25, 2017
953
The wife wanting him back in their lives is insane to me. How do you, as a parent, continue to associate and even live with the person who tried to kill your children??? I don't care what rehabilitation program he goes through there is no way to be sure he won't snap again and actually succeed in killing them. The wife wants to live with him still? Cool, let her do that but give the kids to another family member who actually cares about their well-being.