A mental health diversion court hearing date is set in the case against a Pasadena man who allegedly drove his family off a Devil’s Slide cliff in January, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office said.
The court will hear from the lawyers of Dharmesh Arvin Patel, 41, and from prosecution in a March 5 hearing. Prosecutors had requested a continuance so their doctors could evaluate Patel and form an opinion of his mental state before the hearing, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.
To qualify for mental health diversion court, the defense must prove Patel has a mental illness that caused the crime or was a significant factor in it. They must also show that he can be treated over the course of a year and that he is not a present threat to the community, Wagstaffe said.
The prosecution is continuing to review evidence before Wagstaffe will decide whether to contest or agree for a mental health diversion, which, if Patel were to be granted and complete, would dismiss him of all charges.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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