2 die in shootings at water plant

A Monterey County man opened fire at a wastewater treatment plant Friday, fatally shooting another man and critically wounding the gunman’s estranged wife before killing himself, police said.

Steven Harold Smith, 50, the pump station maintenance supervisor, shot the two fellow employees shortly before 7 a.m. at the Lode Street Wastewater Facility in the Live Oak section of Santa Cruz, Sheriff’s Sgt. Fred Plageman said.

Mike Sotelo, 41, of Santa Cruz, died at the scene. He was the supervisor for office administration, Plageman said.

The gunman’s wife, Tamara Smith, 45, of Santa Cruz, tried to escape in her car but was shot multiple times, police said. A maintenance worker, she was hospitalized in grave condition, the sergeant said.

Police said co-workers described the shooting as the result of a love triangle. Investigators couldn’t immediately confirm a romantic relationship between Sotelo and Tamara Smith but believe Steve Smith may have been angry because Sotelo was trying to act as an intermediary between the couple, Plageman said.

The Smiths were separated and in the process of getting a divorce, he said. The gunman lived in Aromas.

Two handguns were recovered at the scene, but Plageman wouldn’t comment on who owned them.

Steve Smith entered the administrative part of the facility and shot Sotelo in his office, the sergeant said.

Smith then went outside and shot his wife, who was in her car. She tried to drive away but hit a flagpole, a curb and a fence before running into a large tree, Plageman said.

More than 30 law enforcement officers searched the scene and found no other suspects. Investigators interviewed several witnesses.

About 40 people work at the Lode Street facility, which is operated by the Santa Cruz County Sanitation District and processes sewage from Live Oak, as well as the nearby towns of Capitola, Soquel and Aptos. Most employees were sent home for the day after the shootings.

Requests for comment at the Lode Street facility were referred to the Santa Cruz County Administrative Office, which did not return a call.

Mike Billat, who lives behind the plant, said he was in his kitchen when he heard gunshots.

“It sounded like someone was slamming something,” Billat, 42, said.

“It’s not what you’d expect, unless you live in Iraq.”