The American public heaved a collective sigh of relief upon hearing a family of four somehow survived their car’s violent tumble down a rocky 250-foot cliff in Northern California Jan. 2.
Within the healthcare community, cheers soon turned to expressions of shock and anger.
The about-face owed to a two-part revelation: The driver was a radiologist and police believe the crash was deliberate.
The troubling update came to light Jan. 3 when the California Highway Patrol said it suspects Dharmesh Arvind Patel, MD, of using the cliff as a way to kill his wife and their two young children.
According to the Los Angeles Times and myriad other general news outlets, all four family members are recovering with only minor injuries.
Upon discharge from the hospital, Patel will be booked into San Mateo County Jail. Along with attempted murder, he will face charges of reckless child endangerment.
As the case unfolds, radiology watchers will be interested to see if Patel claims work-related stress and/or burnout as a mitigating motive for his alleged crimes.
Already a neighbor of the family has said the Patels have been “a beautiful, idyllic family” with “no indication of issues.”
“It’s so strange because he is a great guy,” the neighbor adds. “Maybe it was a moment of insanity.”
Press accounts of the survival and rescue story—which more than a few are calling miraculous—are all over the internet.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.