Altercation Over Jet Skis Leads to Serious Charges

A 70-year-old man from Massachusetts was accused of attempting to drown a 21-year-old during a heated incident over jet skis at a local lake, an altercation that was captured on video.

Steven Dana is facing serious charges, including attempted murder and strangulation, following the confrontation with Matthew Duffy at Sandy Beach on Lake Maspennock in Hopkinton.

According to police reports, Duffy and his friends were using a jet ski at the boat ramp when Dana, who lives nearby, became irritated by the noise. He allegedly tried to force them to leave the water.

Duffy, still recovering from injuries that required him to use crutches, was recording the interaction when Dana’s agitation became more pronounced. “Let’s have some fun on the jet ski,” Duffy reportedly said to Dana, who responded by telling him to take the jet ski elsewhere.

When Duffy refused, asserting that he lived nearby and was allowed to use the lake, others in the group began to taunt Dana. This only escalated tensions, with Dana threatening to call the police and even asking Duffy if he wanted to be shot.

Tempers flared further when Dana approached Duffy and slapped him in the face. Some of Duffy’s friends questioned Dana’s aggression, to which he reportedly replied, “I don’t care, I’ll make you disabled.”

As the confrontation intensified, one of Duffy’s friends took off on a jet ski. In that moment, Dana slapped Duffy again, leading to a scuffle that saw them both fall into the lake. Video footage later showed Dana holding Duffy underwater until bystanders intervened.

Duffy expressed his fear during the incident, stating, “I was so scared for my life because I couldn’t fight back.” He described the moment as chaotic and disorienting.

Following the incident, both men declined medical assistance. Dana was arraigned on Thursday and initially held without bail. However, he was released the next day after a judge set bail at $7,500.

Duffy voiced his frustration about Dana’s swift release, stating, “I’m angry that he’s already gone. This is insane. He just tried to kill me two days ago.” He recalled how aggressive Dana had been from the onset, claiming that after some back-and-forth between them, Dana attacked him and pushed him into the water. “I had to get a friend to help me stand up,” Duffy noted.