Man dies in jail after allegedly driving into family, killing mom and dog, as an act of revenge for his child

The man accused of driving into a Cottage Grove family, killing a woman, died Tuesday while at the Dane County Jail. (Source: WMTV)
Published: May 7, 2025 at 5:19 PM EDT
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MADISON, Wis. (WMTV/Gray News) – The Wisconsin man accused of intentionally driving into a family and killing the mother as an act of revenge has died in jail, sources say.

Two trusted sources of WMTV confirmed Jeffrey Endres, 49, was found unresponsive and died Tuesday.

Online records show that Endres is no longer listed as a resident of the Dane County Jail.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office confirmed an inmate died but did not confirm an identity. The sheriff’s office said first responders attempted to save his life, and he was pronounced dead at the jail.

Jeffrey Endres was charged Monday with first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of...
Jeffrey Endres was charged Monday with first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and mistreatment of animals causing death.(Courtesy: Dane County Jail)

The Madison Police Department said detectives processed the scene at the jail Tuesday, collected evidence and spoke with jail staff.

An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.

Endres was charged Monday with first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and mistreatment of animals causing death.

Prosecutors said he intentionally hit a family with his vehicle while they were out on a walk on April 28, killing the mother and the family dog.

A criminal complaint released Monday alleges Endres sped up and crashed into the family in Cottage Grove, a suburb of Madison.

Dr. Kami Hansen was a wife, mother of three boys, and owner of Heartland Family Chiropractic.
Dr. Kami Hansen was a wife, mother of three boys, and owner of Heartland Family Chiropractic.(WMTV)

Dr. Kami Hansen, a well-known chiropractor in the community, died from her injuries after being taken to the hospital.

Hansen was a wife, mother of three boys and owner of Heartland Family Chiropractic.

Deputy District Attorney William Brown said the deadly crash was an act of revenge following a “sensitive crime” that occurred between Hansen’s child and Endres’ child. Officials did not give further details about what happened between the children.

“It has come to light that this was not an accident. This was an intentional act by Mr. Endres,” Brown said in court. “This was, as the complaint shows, essentially an act of vigilante justice.”

The criminal complaint reveals that Endres and Hansen’s family were neighbors and friends until recently.

Hansen was on a walk with her husband, one of their sons, and their dog on April 28 when Endres crashed into them around 6:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of Landmark Drive.

Dr. Kami Hansen was killed after a driver hit her family on purpose, investigators say.
Dr. Kami Hansen was killed after a driver hit her family on purpose, investigators say.(Family of Kami Hansen)

The criminal complaint reported Hansen was thrown about 25 to 30 feet from where she was hit. A detective also noted that the family was thrown from their shoes during the impact of the crash.

Hansen and the family dog, a black pit bull, were both killed.

Hansen’s husband only had cuts and scratches on his leg. Their son needed surgery after suffering a concussion and wounds across his body, but he is recovering.

Hansen’s husband told officers he heard the vehicle “flooring it” in their direction before it drove over a curb, straight into his family.

Multiple witnesses also verified that they saw the car speed up before hitting the family, the complaint said.

An Uber driver reported seeing Endres’ vehicle speeding behind him, and he told investigators he was worried it would crash into him. Instead, he said he saw the suspect’s vehicle “jerk” and drive directly onto the sidewalk.

Multiple witnesses also verified that they saw the car speed up before hitting the family, the...
Multiple witnesses also verified that they saw the car speed up before hitting the family, the complaint said.(wmtv)

“If he’s telling you he veered off the roadway, then he’s lying to you,” the witness recounted. “I saw that vehicle jerk.”

The complaint said Endres stayed on scene after the crash, standing nearby. He allegedly told officers that he was “having a bad day” and said he had “no comment” about the crash. He told responding officers he lost control of his vehicle while driving to the gas station, the complaint said.

According to the criminal complaint, Hansen’s husband told police that allegations of a sensitive crime between his child and Endres’ child were brought forward in late March.

A Cottage Grove Police Department school resource officer investigated the alleged incident in March, and a juvenile court proceeding was held on March 28.

The complaint stated that Endres filed an open records request on April 23 for police reports related to the alleged incident between the two children.

A redacted set of police reports was forwarded to Endres less than three hours before the deadly crash on April 28, the document confirmed.

Hansen’s funeral is scheduled for this weekend.