Over the objections of prosecutors, two men involved in a crackdown on illegal street racing in Irvine were granted requests Thursday for a court-ordered misdemeanor diversion program that could allow them to have their charges dismissed.
Daniel Joaquin Rodriguez, 23, of La Verne, who prosecutors said had a YouTube channel featuring illegal street races in Orange County, was granted diversion along with Sean Lozai Stuart, 38, of Irvine, who was charged with racing another defendant in the case who is awaiting trial — Rushdan Mohammad Abdallah, 28, of Lake Forest. Prosecutors said Abdallah also had a YouTube channel in which races were posted.
Rodriguez and Stuart pled guilty to tickets for speeding in excess of 100 mph, according to court records.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Megan Wagner granted diversion for the defendants, who were ordered to perform 140 hours of Caltrans service, donate $250 to streetracingkills.org and write a 500-word essay on the dangers of street racing, according to court records.
Co-defendant Aaron Hamed Waseeq, 27, of La Verne, who prosecutors said also posted races on a YouTube channel, was granted diversion on March 2 and pled guilty to speeding in excess of 100 mph.
Co-defendant Saeid Assim Lachin, 29, of Fullerton, pled guilty Nov. 22, 2021, to engaging in speed contests, reckless driving and driving without a valid driver’s license, all misdemeanors, according to court records.
Officials allege Abdallah, who is accused of meeting with other drivers six times in 2020 to discuss and take part in illegal races, was out on bail from a 2019 arrest while he coordinated some of the illegal events.
Abdallah and Stuart were accused of racing multiple times Jan. 31, 2020, on the 241 and 261 Toll Roads through Irvine, Tustin, Lake Forest and Foothill Ranch at speeds that got up to 160 mph, prosecutors said.
Abdallah also allegedly raced Waseeq multiple times on the same toll roads with Rodriguez riding in Waseeq’s car on March 25, 2020, prosecutors said.
Abdallah and Lachin allegedly raced several times on the 261 Toll Road March 28, 2020, prosecutors said.
Abdallah, Rodriguez, Waseeq and Lachin raced multiple times on the toll roads April 1, 2020, prosecutors said. Abdallah raced another unidentified driver on May 27, 2020, prosecutors said.
Abdallah and Rodriguez raced multiple times on the 261 with Waseeq in the passenger seat of Rodriguez’s car on May 30, 2020, prosecutors said.