BAGLEY, WI — The identity of the man discovered deceased after an altercation outside the Ship Wreck Bar, located at 132 Packer Dr., Bagley, WI 53801, has been disclosed by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The deceased has been identified as Jeffrey Cornell, 65, from Fennimore, WI. His name was withheld in the earlier reports while efforts were made to notify his next of kin.
On June 29, 2025, around 12:43 a.m., the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, along with Bagley First Responders and West Grant EMS, arrived after receiving a report of an individual requiring medical assistance behind the Ship Wreck Bar. Upon arrival, they learned that Cornell had been part of an altercation outside the bar and was subsequently transported to Crossing Rivers Health Center in Prairie du Chien. He was then transferred to Gundersen Medical Center in La Crosse for additional care.
Following their investigation, authorities arrested Jason Britton, 34, of Colona, Illinois, and charged him with one count of disorderly conduct. Britton was processed at the Grant County Jail, where he posted bond and was released.
On June 30, 2025, after his discharge from the hospital, Cornell was found dead at his home in Fennimore, WI. An autopsy was performed at UW-Hospital in Madison to ascertain the cause and manner of death, a process that is expected to take several weeks, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office is working in conjunction with the Grant County Coroner’s Office and UW-Hospital as the investigation continues.
This case, referenced as CFS25-16792, remains under active investigation. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information pertinent to the incident to reach out at 608-723-2157. Additional updates will be provided as the investigation develops.
