Man who drove over California cliff with children in car held for ‘intentional act’

A Tesla driver who drove off a California cliff with two young children and an adult passenger in the car was arrested on Tuesday, as authorities alleged the crash was an "intentional act".

Dharmesh Patel, of Pasadena, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and child abuse, the California highway patrol said. Authorities said they had not determined the driving mode the Tesla was in during the crash but did not believe it was a "contributing factor in this incident".

The crash happened late on Monday morning. The Tesla reportedly plummeted 250ft to 300ft down the side of a coastal road, at a point called Devil's Slide.

The sedan slammed into a crag, apparently flipped several times and landed on its wheels. It came to rest mere feet from the water, officials said.

There were four people in the car, including a girl aged 10 and a boy aged nine, media outlets reported.

Highway patrol officers and other emergency responders were dispatched to the scene, where they spotted the vehicle and rappelled down the cliff, rescuing all inside. The four occupants were taken to hospital with "serious injuries", authorities said.

Investigators "worked throughout the night interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence from the scene". Then, "based on the evidence collected, investigators developed probable cause to believe this incident was an intentional act".

After Patel is released from hospital he will be booked into the San Mateo county jail, the California highway patrol said. Saying the incident "remains an ongoing investigation and no further information is being released at this time", officials urged witnesses to come forward.

Devil's Slide is a stretch of rocky, winding coastal road where accidents usually prove fatal.

"We go there all the time for cars over the cliff and they never live. This was an absolute miracle," said Brian Pottenger, battalion chief for the Coastside fire protection district.

As responders set up the rappelling system to send firefighters into the area, some observing the car through binoculars spotted movement inside - indicating that at least one occupant was alive, AP reported.

"Every one of us was shocked when we saw movement out of the front windshield," Pottenger reportedly said.

The four survivors were conscious when emergency workers came to their rescue.

Responders battled rain, wind and crashing surf while carrying out the hours-long rescue. The car doors were mangled and stuck shut, meaning firefighters had to cut survivors out of the car with powerful "jaws-of-life" rescue devices.

Responders scooped the children out of the back window and pulled them to safety in a "rescue-basket" drawn by ropes. They were hospitalized with "musculoskeletal injuries", the Associated Press reported.

"They were more scared than they were hurt," Pottenger stated.

The two adults suffered "traumatic injuries" and were lifted to hospital by helicopter.

It was unclear if Patel had acquired an attorney.