Kern County Sheriff's Deputy Michael J. Bentley died after his patrol car was hit head-on by a fleeing armed robbery suspect near the town of Rosamond.
Senior Deputy Michael J. Bentley, of Bakersfield, stationed at the sheriff substation in Mojave died at the Antelope Valley hospital in Lancaster about two hours after the accident on Willow Springs Road.
Deputy Bentley was pursuing an armed robbery suspect at about 5:15 p.m. on Willow Springs Road, north of Bacus Road when the crash occurred. The chase was touched off after the suspect, reportedly wielding a sawed off shotgun, robbed a Mojave mini-market and fled in a stolen pickup truck. Deputy Bentley was southbound on Willow Springs Road, and the suspect, being chased by another deputy, was northbound. The suspect came around a corner on the wrong side of the road and hit Deputy Bentley head-on. The suspect wanted to commit suicide by ramming Deputy Bentley's patrol car head on, but instead received a cut lip. He was taken into custody and tentatively charged with murder, robbery and auto theft.
Deputy Bentley was hired as a sheriff's deputy in 1975, after serving in the Marine Corps. He also spent short periods of employment with the Kern Co. Parks Department as a park ranger and with the Bakersfield Police Department as a patrolman.
While working with the Kern Co. Sheriff's Department, he received commendations on excellent police work from numerous agencies. He worked varied assignments in the sheriff's office, including the jail, Lamont, patrol, detectives and Mojave Substation.
Deputy Bentley was survived by his wife, Shirley, stepson Doug, brother Larry, and parents. He is honored at the California State Peace Officer Memorial in Sacramento, CA, and the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel E-5, Line 64.
Senior Deputy Michael J. Bentley, of Bakersfield, stationed at the sheriff substation in Mojave died at the Antelope Valley hospital in Lancaster about two hours after the accident on Willow Springs Road.
Deputy Bentley was pursuing an armed robbery suspect at about 5:15 p.m. on Willow Springs Road, north of Bacus Road when the crash occurred. The chase was touched off after the suspect, reportedly wielding a sawed off shotgun, robbed a Mojave mini-market and fled in a stolen pickup truck. Deputy Bentley was southbound on Willow Springs Road, and the suspect, being chased by another deputy, was northbound. The suspect came around a corner on the wrong side of the road and hit Deputy Bentley head-on. The suspect wanted to commit suicide by ramming Deputy Bentley's patrol car head on, but instead received a cut lip. He was taken into custody and tentatively charged with murder, robbery and auto theft.
Deputy Bentley was hired as a sheriff's deputy in 1975, after serving in the Marine Corps. He also spent short periods of employment with the Kern Co. Parks Department as a park ranger and with the Bakersfield Police Department as a patrolman.
While working with the Kern Co. Sheriff's Department, he received commendations on excellent police work from numerous agencies. He worked varied assignments in the sheriff's office, including the jail, Lamont, patrol, detectives and Mojave Substation.
Deputy Bentley was survived by his wife, Shirley, stepson Doug, brother Larry, and parents. He is honored at the California State Peace Officer Memorial in Sacramento, CA, and the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel E-5, Line 64.
Kern County Sheriff's Deputy Michael J. Bentley died after his patrol car was hit head-on by a fleeing armed robbery suspect near the town of Rosamond.
Senior Deputy Michael J. Bentley, of Bakersfield, stationed at the sheriff substation in Mojave died at the Antelope Valley hospital in Lancaster about two hours after the accident on Willow Springs Road.
Deputy Bentley was pursuing an armed robbery suspect at about 5:15 p.m. on Willow Springs Road, north of Bacus Road when the crash occurred. The chase was touched off after the suspect, reportedly wielding a sawed off shotgun, robbed a Mojave mini-market and fled in a stolen pickup truck. Deputy Bentley was southbound on Willow Springs Road, and the suspect, being chased by another deputy, was northbound. The suspect came around a corner on the wrong side of the road and hit Deputy Bentley head-on. The suspect wanted to commit suicide by ramming Deputy Bentley's patrol car head on, but instead received a cut lip. He was taken into custody and tentatively charged with murder, robbery and auto theft.
Deputy Bentley was hired as a sheriff's deputy in 1975, after serving in the Marine Corps. He also spent short periods of employment with the Kern Co. Parks Department as a park ranger and with the Bakersfield Police Department as a patrolman.
While working with the Kern Co. Sheriff's Department, he received commendations on excellent police work from numerous agencies. He worked varied assignments in the sheriff's office, including the jail, Lamont, patrol, detectives and Mojave Substation.
Deputy Bentley was survived by his wife, Shirley, stepson Doug, brother Larry, and parents. He is honored at the California State Peace Officer Memorial in Sacramento, CA, and the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel E-5, Line 64.
Senior Deputy Michael J. Bentley, of Bakersfield, stationed at the sheriff substation in Mojave died at the Antelope Valley hospital in Lancaster about two hours after the accident on Willow Springs Road.
Deputy Bentley was pursuing an armed robbery suspect at about 5:15 p.m. on Willow Springs Road, north of Bacus Road when the crash occurred. The chase was touched off after the suspect, reportedly wielding a sawed off shotgun, robbed a Mojave mini-market and fled in a stolen pickup truck. Deputy Bentley was southbound on Willow Springs Road, and the suspect, being chased by another deputy, was northbound. The suspect came around a corner on the wrong side of the road and hit Deputy Bentley head-on. The suspect wanted to commit suicide by ramming Deputy Bentley's patrol car head on, but instead received a cut lip. He was taken into custody and tentatively charged with murder, robbery and auto theft.
Deputy Bentley was hired as a sheriff's deputy in 1975, after serving in the Marine Corps. He also spent short periods of employment with the Kern Co. Parks Department as a park ranger and with the Bakersfield Police Department as a patrolman.
While working with the Kern Co. Sheriff's Department, he received commendations on excellent police work from numerous agencies. He worked varied assignments in the sheriff's office, including the jail, Lamont, patrol, detectives and Mojave Substation.
Deputy Bentley was survived by his wife, Shirley, stepson Doug, brother Larry, and parents. He is honored at the California State Peace Officer Memorial in Sacramento, CA, and the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel E-5, Line 64.
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