- A 70-year-old Hopkinton man is charged with attempted murder after allegedly holding a 21-year-old underwater at Sandy Beach.
- The victim, Matt Duffy, was on crutches recovering from a severe motorcycle accident when the attack happened.
- The confrontation started over a residency dispute about who is allowed to use Lake Maspenock.
- Duffy said he could not fight back because both arms and one leg were broken at the time.
HOPKINTON, Massachusetts — A lakeside argument over who had the right to be on the water turned into something nobody at Sandy Beach expected to witness on a Wednesday evening.
Steven Dana, 70, is now facing an attempted murder charge after police say he slapped a 21-year-old man, tackled him into the water, and forcefully held his head under the surface until bystanders pulled him away.
The victim was on crutches.
It Started Over a Jet Ski
The confrontation began just before 7 p.m. Wednesday when police received a report of a fight at Sandy Beach on Lake Maspenock.
According to investigators, Dana was upset that 21-year-old Matt Duffy and his friends had been riding a jet ski on the lake. Dana apparently did not believe Duffy was a Hopkinton resident — and that distinction matters at this particular lake.
Police explained that the only boat ramp to Lake Maspenock, which sits on the border of Hopkinton and Milford, is restricted to Hopkinton residents only between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend.
Dana confronted Duffy about it. The situation escalated fast.
“He Shoved My Head Under and Was Not Letting Me Breathe”
Video footage reviewed by police showed Dana slapping Duffy before the two ended up in the water together.
What happened next was captured on camera.
“Dana is shown forcefully holding the 21-year-old under the water,” police said, before others at the beach rushed in and pulled Dana off him.
Duffy, who had been recovering from a serious motorcycle accident for months, described the terrifying moments in an interview with CBS News Boston.
“He tackled me into the water, then we were fighting, and then he shoved my head under and was not letting me breathe until my friend came up and pulled him off me,” Duffy said.
He added: “I just knew I couldn’t use either of my arms or my leg as they were both broken and it was just praying that he let go or my friends pull him off of me.”
Both men declined hospital treatment after the incident.
“Senseless Violence” Over a Bylaw
Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief Scott van Raalten described the attack as “senseless violence” that started because Dana did not believe Duffy lived in Hopkinton.
“He accosted him about use of the lake,” van Raalten said.
Duffy, for his part, said Dana had made his frustration about jet skis clear. “He did say that he lived by the lake and he was very annoyed with jet skis for some reason,” Duffy said. “A lot of people think they should be banned even though we don’t bother people.”
Police used the incident to remind residents to handle bylaw disputes through proper channels. “The Hopkinton Police Department asks that residents contact the proper authorities to investigate incidents that involve the enforcement of the town’s bylaws rather than taking matters into their own hands,” van Raalten said.
Charges and What Comes Next
Dana was arrested and appeared in Framingham District Court Thursday. He faces three charges: attempted murder, strangulation and suffocation, and assault and battery on a disabled person.
Prosecutors said they need additional time to review his prior record before an official arraignment can proceed. His defense argued the charges are not relevant. Dana is scheduled to be arraigned Friday.
Duffy said he was relieved police acted quickly. “I’m really glad that they got him right away,” he said.
Do you think the charges fit what happened here, or should Dana face more — or less? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
