Police say the dispute at Sandy Beach involved jet skis, residency rules and a 21-year-old man using crutches.
HOPKINTON, MA — A 70-year-old Hopkinton man is facing an attempted murder charge after police said he held a 21-year-old man underwater during a fight Wednesday evening at Sandy Beach on Lake Maspenock.
Steven Dana, of Hopkinton, was arrested after officers responded at about 6:55 p.m. June 3 to a reported fight in progress at Sandy Beach, 1 Lakeshore Drive. Police said the confrontation began over the younger man’s use of Lake Maspenock, where the only boat ramp is limited to Hopkinton residents during the busy summer season. The case moved quickly into Framingham District Court, where Dana pleaded not guilty and was held without bail pending further proceedings.
Police said Dana approached 21-year-old Matthew Duffy of Milford because Dana believed Duffy was not a Hopkinton resident and should not be using the lake. Duffy, who was walking with crutches because of injuries from a previous motorcycle crash, was at the beach with friends. Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief Scott van Raalten said the fight was “an incident of senseless violence that could have had tragic results.” He said residents should contact authorities about bylaw issues rather than taking matters into their own hands. Officers initially separated the group and asked Dana, who lived nearby, to return home and wait for police.
Investigators said video reviewed by police showed the dispute moving from shouting to a physical fight. According to court documents, Dana told the group more than once that it was time to leave. Police said the video showed Dana striking Duffy with an open-hand slap, then hitting him again with a backhanded slap before both men ended up in the water. Officer Noah Buentello wrote in court records that Dana was seen straddling Duffy and holding him underwater. Duffy’s friends noticed what was happening and pulled Dana away, police said. Duffy later told investigators that he could not breathe and was scared for his life.
Duffy told local television reporters that Dana was upset about him and his friends riding a jet ski on the lake. “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. Police said Duffy had been badly injured in a motorcycle crash months earlier and was using crutches at the beach. Court documents said officers later photographed redness and abrasions on Duffy’s elbows, chest, collarbone and lower back, along with marks on the left side of his neck that appeared to be finger impressions.
Lake Maspenock straddles Hopkinton and Milford, and access to the Lakeshore Drive boat ramp is restricted to Hopkinton residents from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Local officials and residents have raised concerns for years about nonresident use of Sandy Beach, off-hours access, speeding jet skis and enforcement around the boat launch. Parks and Recreation officials have said recent changes improved conditions at the beach, but the area remains a point of tension for some neighbors during warm-weather months. Police said those rules were at the center of Wednesday’s confrontation, but they have not said that Duffy’s exact access status has been resolved.
Dana was charged with attempt to murder, strangulation or suffocation, and assault and battery on a disabled person. The Hopkinton Independent reported that court documents also referred to him as Stephen Dana and Stephen Dion, while Hopkinton police identified him as Steven Dana. Judge Michael J. Callahan ordered Dana held without bail after a dangerousness hearing, finding that he could not safely be released with monitoring or other conditions. A further detention hearing was scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday in Framingham District Court. Dana retained private counsel. All charges are allegations, and Dana is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Police reports described a chaotic scene as officers arrived at the beach parking area. Buentello wrote that Dana’s clothes were wet and his shirt was ripped near the collar. Dana told police he had confronted a group about riding jet skis and said he had been assaulted, according to the reports. A friend of Duffy, identified in court records as Benjamin Osmanovic, showed officers video of the altercation and said the group had to fight to get Dana to release Duffy. Dana and Duffy both declined to be taken to a hospital for medical treatment, police said.
Van Raalten praised the responding officers and communications staff, saying investigators worked to get a clear picture during a fast-moving and emotional call. “There is no place for unnecessary violence in Hopkinton,” he said. The case now rests with prosecutors and the court as Dana remains held and the next scheduled hearing moves forward.
Author note: Last updated June 5, 2026.