On October 30, 2025, at 12:48 A.M., Deputy Thienes with the Washington County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) was on patrol in the area of Queens Avenue South and 17th Street South in Lake St. Croix Beach, Washington County, regarding a disorderly conduct call. The WCSO had received four phone calls that evening regarding an intoxicated female who was walking through the area yelling. While driving northbound on Queens Avenue from 20th Street, Deputy Thienes observed a person walking towards his squad car.
Deputy Thienes turned on his squad car's lights and observed the person immediately throw a small black backpack over a fence into the yard of 16540 17th Street South. Deputy Thienes detained the individual, a male later identified as RAMIRO ZUNIGA, [DOB REDACTED], at which point he heard the intoxicated female yelling nearby. After addressing the incident involving the intoxicated female, Deputy Thienes returned to 16540 17th Street and recovered the backpack from the yard. Inside the backpack, Deputy Thienes located several items of drug paraphernalia and a piece of wrapped tinfoil that contained a white, powdery substance that field tested positive for cocaine and weighed.5 grams.
ZUNIGA was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail where he provided a post-Miranda statement in which he admitted he threw the backpack and that the cocaine located inside belonged to him. ZUNIGA is not currently in custody.
