Wife of doctor who drove family off cliff in Tesla urges prosecutors not to try him

The wife of the California doctor accused of intentionally driving his Tesla off a cliff with her and their two children aboard has urged authorities not to prosecute him.

Dharmesh Patel, 41, pleaded not guilty last week to three counts of attempted murder and two enhancements — for the severe injuries his wife, Neha, 41, and 7-year-old daughter suffered.

But defense attorney Josh Bentley shocked the courtroom when he said Neha doesn’t want her husband prosecuted – even though she reportedly screamed that he “intentionally tried to kill us” to first responders, KNTV reported.

San Mateo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Sean Gallagher said victims who decline to cooperate with police are common in cases of domestic violence.

“Regardless of whether she is cooperative, we believe we have sufficient evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said in the Redwood City courtroom.

He said it was not unusual for domestic violence victims to not want to cooperate.

It is a “very dynamic situation whenever you have this violence within a family setting,” Gallagher added.

Authorities have said it was a “miracle” that the family survived the electric car’s harrowing plunge during the attempted murder-suicide on the notorious stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway known as the Devil’s Slide on Jan. 2.

Patel, a radiologist at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Los Angeles, suffered “serious lower body injuries” and was hospitalized under guard before being booked into jail on Jan. 20.

He limped noticeably as he walked up to the microphone to enter his not guilty plea on Thursday, when the judge issued a no-contact order that prevents Patel from communicating with his family.

The couple’s 4-year-old son suffered only minor injuries in the incident.

Investigators have not cited a motive in the case.

Patel is being held without bail pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 20.