The State : Deputy’s Body Found in Sea

The body of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s detective was found floating off Seal Beach without a life jacket, 14 hours after his unmanned 22-foot sailboat ran aground on the beach with its engine still running, Orange County authorities said. The victim was identified as Gary L. Bontrager, 43, of Huntington Beach. The cause of death is under investigation, but police said no evidence of foul play has been found. A Los Angeles County sheriff’s spokesman confirmed that Bontrager had been a detective in the department. Bontrager was described by his son as an “accomplished sailor accustomed to sailing alone,” Seal Beach Police Sgt. Larry Sides said. An autopsy was scheduled.