A pretrial detainee with a traumatic brain injury alleges severe mistreatment at the hands of jail officers, sparking legal action against a county and its correctional staff. Dale Koplien filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on January 27, 2026, accusing Marathon County and three of its employees—Tristen Wanden, Ronald Kohlmann, and Lor Vang—of excessive force and deliberate indifference to his medical needs.
The case centers around events that transpired shortly after Koplien was booked into the Marathon County Jail on June 30, 2024. According to the complaint, on July 1, 2024, Defendant Ronald Kohlmann refused to assist Koplien in contacting his caretaker and subsequently used a taser on him without warning. This incident resulted in Koplien sustaining a serious pelvic injury. Despite his repeated cries for help and requests for medical attention—screaming phrases like “my hip” and “my leg is broke”—the defendants allegedly dismissed his pleas and left him unattended overnight without medical evaluation or treatment.
The lawsuit accuses Defendants Wanden, Kohlmann, and Vang of violating Koplien’s constitutional rights under the Fourth, Eighth, or Fourteenth Amendments by using excessive force and showing deliberate indifference to his serious medical condition. The complaint further alleges that Marathon County failed to adequately train its staff or implement policies ensuring proper medical care for detainees. As per the filing, this lack of oversight contributed directly to the violation of Koplien’s rights.
Koplien seeks compensatory damages from all defendants under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for their alleged reckless conduct. Additionally, he demands punitive damages against Kohlmann for acting maliciously during the tasing incident. The plaintiff also holds Marathon County accountable under Monell v. Department of Social Services for authorizing practices that led to these violations. Furthermore, he invokes Wisconsin law requiring public entities to indemnify employees’ tort judgments when actions occur within their employment scope.
Representing Dale Koplien are attorneys John H. Bradley, R. Rick Resch, and William E. Grau from Strang Bradley LLC based in Madison, Wisconsin. The case has been assigned Case No: 3:26-cv-66.
Source: 326cv00066_Koplien_v_Marathon_County_Complaint_Western_District_Wisconsin.pdf
