Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff James Bennett was accidentally shot and killed when his service weapon fell from its shoulder holster and discharged, striking him in the chest.
He and another deputy were en route to serve a warrant on a sheepherder who had been grazing his sheep on another farmer's land. During the trip Deputy Bennett dismounted his horse to get a drink from a spring several miles north of Chelan. As he leaned over his .38 caliber Colt revolver fell from the holster and discharged.
Deputy Bennett had served with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office for three years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WA-FEEA588B- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Bennett gave the Chelan County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Wenatchee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Bennett.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff James M. Bennett is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In WA, 111 of 339 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.7% of this state's fallen. That is 1.7 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Chelan County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 3 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James M. Bennett's cause is highlighted.
How James M. Bennett Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James M. Bennett is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Chelan County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
