Canton Man Still Missing After Boating Accident

CANTON, GA -- Search crews have yet to find a Canton man who remains unaccounted for following a boating accident on Allatoona Lake, forcing the Department of Natural Resources to change its search and recovery tactics.

Ronnie Bentley, 66, is still missing nearly a week after the two-boat crash last week near Little River Marina on Bells Ferry Road in Cherokee County.

The agency's Law Enforcement Division have gone from using sonar equipment to conducting shoreline and surface searches several times a day, said spokesperson Mark McKinnon.

The reason? The area targeted in the search has been difficult to penetrate due to its sloped bottom and heavy timber on the floor of the lake.

"We feel like we have covered the area as thoroughly as we can with the sonar," he said.

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services crews were dispatched to a call of the accident at the lake just before 1 p.m. Thursday Feb. 2. Cherokee fire spokesperson Tim Cavender said a fisherman was able to rescue a 68-year-old man from the waters, but the fate of two individuals were unknown.

After hours of searching, the body of James Mills, 51, of Taylorsville was discovered around 4 p.m. near the marina. Since recovering Mills' body, crews have continued to search from sun up to sun down for Bentley.

Along with the physical conditions, McKinnon said it also takes longer for a body to surface in cooler temperatures and the currents can also toss things around.

"It’s unfortunate because we like to bring closure to the family," he added.

Image via Tim Cavender/Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services