Jaimi Quach, Andy Tran Le: Canley Vale men sentenced for street race

A man driving a Nissan Skyline was baited into a street race in Sydney’s southwest, with the high-octane competition involving two men only ending when the sirens of an undercover cop were activated.

Editor’s Note: This story previously made reference to Quach having been previously been charged. This is wrong. Quach has not been previously charged at all. We unreservedly apologise to Mr Quach for the error.

A magistrate has lashed out at two men for a “stupid, immature, and pathetic” street race which included family members as back seat passengers.

Jaimi Quach, 41 and Andy Tran Le, 22, both of Canley Vale, appeared at Bankstown Local Court on Thursday on the charges of organising, promoting, or taking part in race between vehicles, speeding and driving non compliant cars.

The race took place about 9.50pm on Sunday, July 11 at the ‘Meccano Set’ on the Hume Hwy. Quach was driving his Nissan Skyline and Le his Toyota Aristo, with custom licence plates ‘ARISTO’. Driving next to them was an undercover police officer.

Quach had two family members in the car, while Le also had a passenger with him, according to agreed facts tendered to court.

Andy Tran Le (l) and Jaimi Quach (r) leaving Bankstown Local Court on September 15, 2022. Picture: Paul Brescia

Their lawyer, Elias Khouzame, told the court the younger Le egged on Quach at the light, telling him to give it a hit and give it a squirt.

“He didn’t expect Mr Lee to engage in the takeoff, and they found themselves competing in a race,” Mr Khouzame said.

The Meccano Set in 2019, prior to its upgrade. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu

Quach’s Skyline can go from 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds, he said, adding his client only reached 95km/h, never lost traction, and quickly hit the brakes when sirens started.

Mr Khouzame told the court why his clients’ needed to keep their licences.

Quach was the sole breadwinner in the house, supporting his wife — who is in remission for cancer — and family as a truck driver.

When he was pulled over his licence was instantly suspended which meant he hadn’t been able to work since, with Mr Khouzame highlighting the difficulties of repaying a mortgage with rising interest rates.

Jaimi Quach. Picture: Paul Brescia

Andy Tran Le dropped out of his studies to help support his family as a forklift driver. Picture: Paul Brescia

In Le’s case, Mr Khouzame told the court he dropped out of his chiropractor studies in university to take on a job as a forklift driver after his father abandoned the family.

“He’s a man with astute ability who finds himself now driving a forklift to make mortgage repayments to support his mother,” Mr Khouzame said.

The presiding magistrate told the court she couldn’t fathom why people would rev their cars or street race.

“It’s really stupid, immature, and quite frankly pathetic,” she said.

“I don’t care if someone is egging you on, enticing you, baiting you. When you are driving a car, they are not toys. A motor vehicle can become a weapon.”

She sentenced Quach and Le to an 18 month conditional release order for the street racing charge, with no conviction recorded, while the other two charges were withdrawn.