Overview
- San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Sharon Cho dismissed three attempted murder counts on Monday after Dharmesh Patel completed a two‑year mental health diversion program tied to the January 2, 2023 Tesla crash at Devil’s Slide.
- Patel’s admission to diversion in July 2024 followed expert testimony that he suffered from major depressive disorder with psychotic features and experienced a psychotic break, which formed the clinical basis for treatment instead of incarceration.
- Court orders returned Patel’s passport, lifted a no‑harassment restriction on his family, and directed the case be sealed after clinicians reported progress and the diversion program’s conditions were met.
- San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, who opposed Patel’s placement in diversion, said the dismissal was required by law and urged that attempted murder be made ineligible for diversion, framing the outcome as a statutory, not judicial, choice.
- The case highlights how California’s mental health diversion system replaces prosecution with court‑supervised treatment for qualifying disorders and could prompt legislative debate over which violent crimes should be eligible for that pathway.