The wife of a 41-year-old Indian-origin doctor accused of attempting to murder his family, including his two children, in a car crash has said that she doesn’t want him to be prosecuted, media reports said.
Dharmesh A Patel, a physician from Pasadena, California, was accused of intentionally driving his wife and their two children in a Tesla car off a cliff in California last month.
According to his attorney Joshua Bentley, Patel’s wife, who initially informed rescue officials that the accused drove off the cliff on purpose, said she doesn’t want him prosecuted, the Fox News Channel reported on Monday.
Bentley told the court last week that the central witness, later determined to be his client’s wife, hoped Patel would not be prosecuted, KNTV news station reported.
Patel pleaded not guilty on February 9 for three counts of attempted murder and two enhancements, New York Post newspaper reported last week.
The prosecution has sufficient evidence to prove the charges against Patel, San Mateo Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.
Patel is being held without bail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 20.
