Prosecutors who are investigating whether the driver of a Tesla intentionally crashed the car three weeks ago off the side of Highway 1, nearly killing his family members, are now also exploring whether mechanical problems could have caused the incident, the San Mateo County district attorney told The Times.
The driver of the white Tesla, Dharmesh Patel, was initially arrested by California Highway Patrol on suspicion of attempted murder and child endangerment for allegedly purposefully driving his wife and two children off the highway at Devil's Slide in Northern California. But Dist. Atty. Steve Wagstaffe said his office is also investigating whether the crash could have been caused by an issue with the car.
"Did the brakes fail? Were the brakes working? Were there any other mechanical malfunctions that would have led to him not being able to stop the vehicle?" Wagstaffe said in an interview. "We're having the car looked at from top to bottom."
