Chautauqua sheriff's captain dies on lake; search ongoing for victim in 2nd boating mishap
MAYVILLE, N.Y. — The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office is mourning the loss of a veteran officer in a weekend boating mishap on Chautauqua Lake as it continues searching parts of Lake Erie for a charter fishing captain who went overboard on Thursday morning.
Capt. David W. Bentley, 62, of Jamestown, a 37-year member of the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office, died on Saturday after he fell into Chautauqua Lake in the area of Martha's Vineyard in Ellery, New York, the sheriff's office reported.
According to investigators, Bentley was attempting to board a boat on Saturday at about 1:25 p.m. when he fell into the lake and was not able to get onto the boat or to shore. Family members and neighbors located Bentley and started CPR before fire and emergency medical officials arrived, the sheriff's office reported.
Bentley was taken to UPMC Chautauqua in Jamestown, where he was pronounced dead.
Bentley was off-duty at the time and died as the result of the accident, Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone said.
Bentley joined the sheriff's office in 1985 after working for the Town of Ellicott and Fredonia police departments. He worked as a patrol deputy, on the DWI enforcement detail and as an investigator with the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, according to the sheriff's office.
Bentley was promoted to captain in January 2019 and oversaw the patrol and special teams divisions. During his tenure, he was in charge of the SWAT Team, was a firearms instructor and also taught at the Sheriff's Academy, the sheriff's office reported.
Quattrone said Monday that Bentley was a "cop's cop" who is going to be greatly missed. He said Bentley had a very compassionate side to him, and behind the scenes would help people struggling with addiction or other issues.
Quattrone added that Bentley came from a long line of law enforcement officers, including his father, John Bentley, who served as Chautauqua County sheriff.
Bentley, a graduate of the FBI National Academy, is survived by his wife, two children and a grandson.
Bentley's death occurred as the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office and other agencies were continuing to search portions of Lake Erie near Ripley, New York, for the captain of a fishing charter who fell overboard on Thursday at about 8:30 a.m.
Quattrone said the fishing charter captain, who was not identified, fell over while helping other anglers.
Agencies including the sheriff's office, U.S. Coast Guard and some departments from Erie County searched the lake late last week and throughout the weekend. The search resumed on Monday, Quattrone said.
More:Search continues on Lake Erie for person who fell off fishing charter in Chautauqua County
Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNhahn.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Chautauqua County: Sheriff's captain dies in fall from boat
