San Mateo neighbors stunned, sickened to be living next door to accused rapist

Byby Cornell Barnard KGO logo
Sunday, July 15, 2018
San Mateo neighbors stunned, sickened to be living next door to accused rapist
Neighbors living on S. Norfolk Ave. in San Mateo were shocked to learn they were living on the same street as an accused serial rapist.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Police say Orlando Vilchez Lazo allegedly raped four women and disguised himself as a rideshare driver to prey on victims.

Neighbors living on S. Norfolk Ave. in San Mateo were shocked to learn they were living on the same street as an accused serial rapist.

RELATED: Police say 4 women raped by man posing as rideshare driver

"Police went in and the next thing I knew he came out in handcuffs," said neighbor Sara Shayesteh.

Shayesteh and her husband Isaac watched the arrest of 37-year-old Orlando Vilchez Lazo. Police say Lazo raped four women over the past five years while posing as a rideshare driver.

"I knew something was up, never in a million years would I imagine a four-time rapist would be living across the street from us," Isaac Shayesteh said.

VIDEO: 'These assaults were violent rapes committed by serial rapist,' SFPD says

The SFPD says Lazo posed as a rideshare driver, then intercepted random women as they left nightclubs and bars in SOMA, mistaking his car for one they ordered. The first assault was in 2013. The last was just this past June .

Police say DNA evidence linked Lazo to the assaults.

Rideshare companies reacted quickly. Lyft revealed in a statement, "We have confirmed that this person did drive for Lyft but as soon as we were made aware of these horrific and deeply disturbing allegations, we immediately deactivated him."

Lyft adds it doesn't believe any of the assaults occurred on their platform. Uber said the suspect is not an Uber driver and never was.

TIMELINE: Sexual misconduct allegations plaguing ride-hailing companies

A short timeline of the sexual misconduct allegations that have plagued ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft in the San Francisco Bay Area during the past four years.