Wife of man accused of intentionally driving car off Devil’s Slide cliff calls for his release

The wife of the man accused of driving her and their children off a cliff at Devil’s Slide near Pacifica last year pleaded in court Thursday for her husband to be released.

Investigators say Dharmesh Patel, a doctor from Southern California, purposely plunged his Tesla off a 300-foot cliff with his family in the car. Everyone managed to survive.

His wife told the court Thursday that his actions were due to a mental health episode.

The judge is weighing if Patel should be criminally tried or diverted to a mental health program.

Patel, who is facing three charges of attempted murder, is being held without bail.