California Tesla Driver Arrested After Intentionally Driving off Cliff in Attempt to Kill His Family, Himself

A California Tesla driver was arrested after he drove his vehicle off a 250-foot cliff on purpose. Officials said it was an attempt to kill himself and his family.

The 41-year-old driver was identified as Dharmesh Arvind Patel of Pasadena. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Patel, his wife, and their two children survived the crash and were rescued at Devil's Slide in San Mateo County.

The CHP said Tuesday that Patel will face charges of attempted murder and child abuse once he is out of the hospital.

The highway patrol noted that the Tesla vehicle was 250 to 300 feet down, with rescuers having to rappel down the cliff to get the two children, ages four and seven.

Officials said a helicopter crew rescued the couple from the vehicle. Incident commander for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Brian Pottenger, noted that witnesses called 911 after the crash around 10:50 a.m. Monday.

Pottenger said they were shocked to see survivable victims in the vehicle as the incident was "very, very rare" for people to survive such a steep fall.

The incident commander added that the children's car seats may have saved their lives.

Tesla Vehicle Plunged Off a Cliff in California

Dharmesh Arvind Patel was being treated for injuries he sustained from the crash. Pottenger said they always go over the Devil's Slide cliff since it is known for fatal crashes, and most of the drivers and passengers never live.

The battalion chief described the incident as an "absolute miracle." Pottenger noted that the Tesla vehicle seemed to have flipped a few times before it landed on its wheels and wedged against the cliff.

Investigators formed a "probable cause" to believe that the crash of the Tesla vehicle was "an intentional act" after looking at the evidence.

However, authorities have not identified the Tesla vehicle's driving mode. Investigators do not believe the vehicle's driving mode contributed to the crash.

The rescue operation took several hours as crews made an effort to free the four occupants from the car while waves were crashing on the rocks below the cliff.

The children were reportedly lifted by hand in a rescue basket by rope while the couple was taken by helicopter.

Devil's Slide Cliff in California

In September 2021, a driver was killed when his car flew off Devil's Slide in Pacifica. The driver was identified as 73-year-old Anthony Colonnese Jr. of San Francisco.

Colonnese was heading towards the Toms Lantos Tunnel when his car swerved into the opposite lane and drove off the cliff.

Investigators noted that the car was recovered, with CHP investigating at the time what caused the driver to steer off the opposite lane and then off a cliff.

Officer Mark Andrews noted that mechanical defects of the car could also contribute to the accident.

The section of Highway 1 heading towards Half Moon Bay is considered to be a dangerous area. In 2020, two drivers were killed after sliding over a cliff near the same place.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Driver Arrested for Intentionally Driving Tesla off NorCal Cliff, Injuring 3: CHP - From ABC7 News Bay Area