PLOT TWIST

Father Intentionally Drove Car With Family Off Cliff, Cops Say

Dharmesh A. Patel was detained after he and three others miraculously survived a 250-foot plunge off a cliff.

The driver of a Tesla which plunged off a cliff in Northern California was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and child abuse, the California Highway Patrol announced Tuesday. Rescuers feared they would not find anyone alive when they were called to the scene of the wreck after a 250-foot fall in an area known as Devil’s Slide, which is notorious for fatal car accidents. Dharmesh A. Patel, 41, was arrested after being recovered from the vehicle which also contained his wife, 41, and their two children, a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy. The highway patrol agency said in a written statement: “Based on the evidence collected, investigators developed probable cause to believe this incident was an intentional act.” They added that Patel would be booked into the San Mateo County Jail after being released from the hospital where he and his wife were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The two children were unharmed, authorities said.