WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) — The Wausau teenager accused of killing another Wausau teenager in a gang-related incident Friday was in court Monday. 15-year-old Dylan K. Yang is accused of using a nearly-fourteen inch long knife with a 9-and-a-half inch blade to stab 13-year-old Isaiah Powell of Wausau.
During Monday’s initial court appearance, Judge Jill Falstad agreed with the prosecution, and ordered a high bond amount. “The allegations are including acts of violence with the use of a large knife, so based on all of those factors and ties outside of the state, and the nature and seriousness of the charge, combined, the court is going to set the cash bond in the amount of one million dollars.”
Assistant District Attorney Mike Puerner says the investigation is still ongoing, and there may be other charges which may involve other people. He says Yang will be back for a preliminary hearing within ten days. “There will be a preliminary hearing. It’s set for next week. That’s the typical process in an adult case. There may be some additional procedural motions filed by defense that we’re anticipating, but I can’t comment until they’re actually filed.”
Puerner expects the defense to file motions, which may include a motion to charge Yang with a lesser offense, which would move the case to juvenile court. “When someone who’s under the age of 18 is charged with a crime that has original jurisdiction in adult court, they can petition to have a lessor charge taken into the juvenile system, so that may happen here.”
The complaint says Yang and another juvenile were sitting on the porch at his home at 915 Jefferson Street when Powell exited a vehicle and started shooting a gun at them. Yang told officers he didn’t know if the gun was real or not, and ran into the house to get the knife. When he returned, Powell was punching the other juvenile.
The other juvenile realized the gun was a BB gun. He tackled Powell. Powell pushed the young man into a snowbank. When Powell was getting off from on top of the youth, Yang stabbed him in the back twice.
Powell was taken to Aspirus Wausau Hospital by private car before police arrived at the house. He died at the hospital.
Powell was a student at Horace Mann Middle School. Yang is a freshman at Wausau East High School.
