LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a man after a pursuit in which a deputy was dragged Wednesday morning.

  • Deputy tried to take Sean Christopher Bentley into custody on warrant
  • Sheriff's Office: Deputy, Bentley struggled; deputy deployed stun gun
  • Bentley fell unconscious after being apprehended, died at hospital

Investigators said a Lake County deputy attempted to take 27-year-old Sean Christopher Bentley into custody on a warrant at a convenience store at State Road 44 and County Road 437 in Sorrento. The warrant was a felony warrant for failing to appear on previous fleeing and eluding charges, the Sheriff's Office said.

The deputy and Bentley got into a struggle, and the deputy deployed his stun gun.

Investigators say that didn't stop Bentley, who then drove off in a white Dodge vehicle with that deputy partially inside the car, dragging him.

“The suspect was able to get his car started and in drive, and he punched it and ended up dragging the deputy, causing significant injuries to his leg,” said Lake County Sheriff's Office's Lt. John Herrell. 

Deputies say Bentley's car then slammed into a dump truck on C.R. 437.

A neighbor heard the crash.

"I heard a screech and bang," Lezette Levins said. "It's unsettling. It's scary it (was) so close home."

Ryan Wolford lives in the neighborhood close to where the crash happened. He ran to check out the scene.

“ ... even the back wheel bent completely in, so it was a crazy impact,” said Wolford

After the crash, Bentley ran off into a nearby subdivision before being taken into custody.

That's when Bentley had what investigators described as a medical episode. Emergency medical technicians tried to help him, but he became combative and then lost consciousness. He died at AdventHealth Waterman just before noon Wednesday, the Sheriff's Office said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the death, which is standard procedure in these types of cases.

The deputy who was dragged injured his leg, but there's no word on his condition.