70-year-old accused of trying to drown injured 21-year-old at Massachusetts beach after residency dispute

A 70-year-old man is charged with attempted murder for allegedly trying to drown a 21-year-old on crutches at a Hopkinton, Massachusetts beach following a residency dispute, police said. 

Steven Dana, a Hopkinton resident, was arrested after police responded to a report of a fight at Sandy Beach Wednesday just before 7 p.m. Police said the fight was about the 21-year-old's use of Lake Maspenock. The victim, 21-year-old Matt Duffy, said that Dana was irritated by his friends and him riding a jet ski.

"The only boat ramp to the lake, which straddles Hopkinton and Milford, exists on Lakeshore Drive, and it is limited to use by Hopkinton residents only from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend," police said.

Police said video footage showed Dana slapping Duffy, who had been using crutches because he was involved in a severe motorcycle accident months before. 

A struggle in the water followed, and police said Dana "is shown forcefully holding the 21-year-old under the water," before others pulled Dana off him.

"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. "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 to be taken to a hospital for treatment. Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief Scott van Raalten said the "senseless violence" started because Dana did not believe the victim was a Hopkinton resident "and accosted him about use of the lake."

"I'm really glad that they got him right away. He did say that he lived by the lake and he was very annoyed with jet skis for some reason. A lot of people think they should be banned even though we don't bother people," Duffy said. 

"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.

Dana is charged with attempt to murder, strangulation/suffocation and assault and battery on a disabled person. He was  in Framingham District Court on Thursday, but prosecutors said they need to review his prior charges before an official arraignment can be held. The defense argues that they do not believe the charges are relevant. 

He will be arraigned on Friday.