04/10/04: Jared Dion, 21, La Crosse, WI

After a night of drinking and dancing in downtown LaCrosse, Jared was seen by a friend getting on the Safe Ride bus, which takes riders from the UW-L campus to downtown and back at no cost. When Dion's friend looked back, he wasn't there. He was found five days later in the Mississippi River.

Details
After a night of drinking and dancing, Jared was seen by a friend getting on the Safe Ride bus, which takes riders from the UW-L campus to downtown and back at no cost. It was last call at John's Bar. Most of Dion's friends already had left, but Dion told his buddy Mark Hoglund he wanted just one more drink. No way, Hoglund said. They had to catch the last bus home. He thought Dion followed him as he left. When he looked back, Dion wasn't there. Jared was reliable, dependable, and a good student on target to graduate. Although he loved socializing, he was not one to wander off. Dion's mother filled out a missing person report Saturday night because she had been trying to make Easter arrangements but had been unable to reach her son.

Recovered
Five days later, Jared’s body was found in the Mississippi River by divers. His cap was found in nearby Riverside Park by a group of joggers passing by. According to the joggers, the cap was found casually hanging on a post not far from where police assumed Dion jumped or fell in the river. Dr. Lindsay Thomas of the Minnesota Regional Coroner's Office (MRCO) performed the autopsy. She found the death to be a cold water drowning.

A photo of the riverfront area of LaCrosse at night.

Facts of Interest
Name/age: Jared Dion, 21, La Crosse, WI (from Pewaukee, WI)
College: University of Wisconsin, La Crosse (management major)
Physical description: 5'9," 165#, brown hair, hazel eyes, athletic build (wrestler)
Last seen: 04/10/04, 2:30 a.m., John's Bar, 109 3rd Street N , La Crosse, WI
Recovered: 04/15/04, levee in Mississippi River (30 ft from Riverside Park)
Cause of death: cold water drowning
Manner of death: pending
Injuries: no signs of trauma or foul play
Blood Alcohol Content: 0.27
Reported water temp: 47 degrees