YouTuber Gets Time For Street Racing — But May Wear Monitor Instead Of Jail Time

IRVINE, CA — A once-popular YouTuber caught in a crackdown on illegal street racing in the Irvine area has pleaded guilty and sentenced to six months in jail, but may serve the time under electronic confinement, according to court records obtained Tuesday.

Rushdan Mohammad Abdallah, 30, pleaded guilty Friday to six counts of conspiracy and a count of leading police on a chase, all felonies, as well as multiple counts of misdemeanor reckless driving and engaging in speed racing. He also admitted infractions for driving faster than 100 mph.

Abdallah accepted a plea deal from Orange County Superior Court Judge Larry Yellin, who authorized the electronic monitoring and gave the defendant until Sept. 5 to begin serving the jail sentence. Abdallah was also placed on two years of formal probation.

Two years ago, over the objections of prosecutors, two other defendants -- Daniel Joaquin Rodriguez and Sean Lozai Stuart -- were granted requests for court-ordered misdemeanor diversion programs and ordered to perform140 hours of Caltrans service, donate $250 to streetracingkills.org and write a 500-word essay on the dangers of street racing.

Co-defendant Aaron Hamed Waseeq, 29, of La Verne, who prosecutors said also posted races on a YouTube channel, was granted diversion on March 2, 2023, and pled guilty to speeding in excess of 100 mph.

Co-defendant Saeid Assim Lachin, 31, 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. showed him in "pre-planned street races with his friends and with strangers around Orange County, on public roads, regularly featuring speeds well in excess of 100 mph."

On Nov. 23, 2019, police chased Abdallah about 1 a.m. when he was seen going faster than 100 mph, prosecutors said. When a California Highway Patrol officer attempted to pull him over he accelerated up to 130 mph, prosecutors said in court papers filed last year as they objected to a motion to reduce Abdallah's charges to misdemeanors.

As he was out on bail for that case, he continued or organize races with speeds "topping 150 mph," prosecutors said.

For the case he resolved on Friday, Abdallah raced against another driver at least eight times near Irvine with "speeds topping even 150 mph," prosecutors said.

Officials said Abdallah met with other drivers six times in 2020 to discuss and take part in illegal races.

Abdallah and Stuart raced 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 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 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 Toll Road with Waseeq in the passenger seat of Rodriguez's car on May 30, 2020, prosecutors said.