UPDATE: LSD suspects plead not guilty, released from jail

UPDATE 11/23/16 3:18 PM: Three people suspected of selling LSD to Luke Smith were released from jail Wednesday after pleading not guilty to drug charges.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office told KION that Taylor Filson, Bradley Hodge, and Thomas Negron were released on $50,000 bail each. Their next court appearance will be January 11.

A fourth suspect, Nathaniel Trecaso, 28, remained in the hospital Wednesday afternoon for an apparent drug overdose.

UPDATE 11/22/16 11:45 AM: At a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart showed body cam video and offered new details into Saturday morning’s fatal officer-involved shooting of 15-year-old Luke Smith.

Hart said Smith had an adverse reaction to LSD, which resulted in him stabbing his father and uncle before being shot and killed by a county deputy.

At around 3 a.m. Saturday morning, deputies were called to a home in the 800 block of Amesti Road . Two men – Smith’s father and uncle – had been stabbed.

During the investigation, a knife-wielding Smith jumped atop an emergency vehicle, then jumped down and ran away.

Hart said it was a “pitch dark, chaotic, tense situation” when deputies found Smith on nearby Pioneer Road in Watsonville.

“It’s hard for me to watch this video,” Hart said. “Everybody loses in cases like this.”

Hart described Smith as very dangerous and said deputies spent several minutes trying unsuccessfully to get Smith to drop a knife.

Hart said deputies fired weighted f oam rounds, a taser, and twice deployed a K-9 to subdue Smith.

At one point, Smith let go of the knife only to pick it up immediately.

Hart said Smith made stabbing motions toward the dog, raising his arm and lunging toward canine handler.

That’s when Deputy Chris Vigil fired one shot, hitting Smith in the chest. Vigil spent nine years with the Santa Cruz Police Department, and was a sergeant with the Atherton Police Department before joining the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. Vigil is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

Deputies began CPR immediately after the shooting. Hart said narcotics investigators later arrested our people who are suspected of selling the LSD to Smith. Taylor Filson, 28, Bradley Hodge, 24, and Thomas Negron, 20, were in police custody. A fourth suspect, Nathaniel Trecaso, 28, remained in the hospital Tuesday afternoon for an apparent drug overdose.

The Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s office will investigate the case. The Sheriff’s Office will conduct an internal investigation as well.

PREVIOUS STORY: Therapists were on hand Monday at Aptos High School, in response to Saturday’s officer-involved shooting that claimed the life of Luke Smith, 15. Meanwhile, on Pioneer Road, flowers were being dropped off where the 15-year-old boy was shot.

Deputies say their encounter with Luke Smith turned deadly when Smith charged at officers with a knife, causing deputies to shoot.

The Sheriff’s Office will hold a press conference at 3:00 p.m. Monday, where video from a deputy’s body-worn camera will be released.

KION’s Brandon Castillo will be at press conference. Look for update reports throughout the afternoon and evening.