HUDSON – A 22-year-old inmate was found unresponsive at St. Croix County Jail in the early morning hours of May 30.
Authorities identified the inmate as Ethan Tjader, of River Falls, on June 1 in a news release.
Jailers found Tjader unresponsive in the Huber dorm at St. Croix County Jail and immediately began life-saving measures. Lakeview EMS arrived to assist. Despite life-saving efforts, the St. Croix County Medical Examiner pronounced Tjader dead inside the jail.
According to the news release, “Following any serious incident inside the St. Croix County Jail, including an inmate death, it is the policy of the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office to request an outside law enforcement agency to conduct an independent investigation.”
The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office was notified and responded to the jail. That agency has assumed responsibility for the investigation. The cause of death has not been released.
According to St. Croix County Circuit Court records, Tjader was serving a 297-day sentence and slated to be released in November. He was arrested Jan. 28 at the St. Croix County Courthouse (1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson) after he was terminated from treatment court and a stay of conditional jail time was lifted. Tjader pleaded guilty in April 2025 to felony maintaining a drug trafficking place.
