Cottage Grove man charged after waving butcher knife at elementary school

Washington County prosecutors have charged 46‑year‑old Touyer Yang of Cottage Grove after police say he drove erratically in the Cottage Grove Elementary School parking lot on Feb. 3, then walked into the school’s vestibule waving a large butcher knife and yelling while children watched from a nearby common area. Court documents say at least three staff members saw Yang with the knife, one reported him photographing her from his black pickup as he circled the lot, and another saw him banging on the vestibule doors with the blade in hand; staff moved several frightened children into a classroom for safety while officers responded. Police found multiple knives in his truck, a traffic cone jammed under the vehicle, and noted signs of intoxication; Yang is accused of refusing a breath test after being warned refusal is a crime and later admitting he had been drinking before going to the school. He now faces felony counts including possessing a dangerous weapon on school property, threats of violence, property damage over $1,000, and driving under the influence. The case will be closely watched by east‑metro parents already on edge about school security and by districts reviewing how quickly staff can lock down or isolate vestibules when an armed stranger appears at the door.