Watertown Man Charged After Alleged Roofing Knife Assault Leaves Brother Seriously Injured
Published: June 2nd, 2026
CARVER COUNTY MN: A Watertown man is facing a felony assault charge after authorities say he slashed his brother with a roofing knife during an early morning argument in Carver County, leaving the victim with deep lacerations to his stomach and arm.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Carver County District Court, Yalbert Noel Blandon Navarrete, 43, of Watertown, has been charged with one count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon causing substantial bodily harm, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
The charge stems from an incident reported shortly after 4 a.m. on May 31, 2026.
According to the complaint, deputies with the Carver County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to Ridgeview Hospital after medical staff reported that a patient had arrived seeking treatment for injuries sustained in a stabbing.
Investigators learned that the victim, identified in court documents as J.N., had suffered large cuts to his stomach and arm. Through an interpreter, J.N. told deputies that his brother, Blandon Navarrete, had cut him with a roofing knife while they were at their employer's residence in Watertown Township.
Deputies later responded to the residence on Quaas Avenue and located multiple individuals, including Blandon Navarrete. During a search incident to arrest, deputies allegedly recovered a small red folding knife from him.
Authorities subsequently executed a search warrant at the residence and reportedly found blood leading from the garage and throughout the home.
During a post-Miranda interview, Blandon Navarrete allegedly admitted that he and J.N. had argued about a family member coming to Minnesota to work with them. According to the complaint, Blandon Navarrete told investigators he stood up, removed a knife he used for work, and made a swiping motion toward J.N.
Court documents state Blandon Navarrete acknowledged that the knife recovered by deputies was the same knife involved in the incident. He reportedly told investigators he believed he may have struck only J.N.'s arm and denied seeing any blood. However, a deputy noted observing blood on Blandon Navarrete's hands.
The victim was later transported to Hennepin County Medical Center for further treatment. According to the complaint, medical personnel documented a laceration approximately 6 to 8 inches long and 2 to 3 inches deep on the victim's stomach, along with a second laceration approximately 6 inches long and 2 to 3 inches deep on his forearm.
Blandon Navarrete remains charged in Carver County District Court. The allegations contained in the complaint have not been proven in court, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.