Boy Scout Community Mourns Death Of Leader Killed In Rocketry Accident

HIGHLAND (CBSLA.com) — Family and the Boy Scout community are mourning the death of a longtime leader who died after a rocketry accident in the High Desert.

Mike Bentley, 50, died Saturday after being struck by a model rocket at the Boy Scouts of America's Rocket Rave event in Johnson Valley in San Bernardino county.

Pictures posted to the troop's Facebook page show what appears to be a similar model rocket event held earlier in the month. Bentley watched his friend launch a model rocket. Then they lost sight of it. When it came down, it landed on Bentley, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

He was the "best dad anyone could ask for," said Andrew, the eldest of Bentley's four sons who also said his father was passionate about family, church and shaping young lives.

"Once a year, he'd go out to summer camp with his Scouts for about a week, and I think that's one of things I'll miss the most. I just have memories of that now," Andrew said.

"To see this happen to someone this close, it's hard. Sometimes, it's unbelievable," said Bentley's best friend Brandon Raarup.

Bentley volunteered with the Boy Scouts for 17 years and held nearly every position. The entire Scouting community is grieving. "Just want the world to know what a great guy we're going to be missing."

If you would like to help the Bentley family with funeral expenses, you can donate to the family's GoFundMe account.