The 70-year-old Hopkinton man accused of holding a 21-year-old’s head under the water of Lake Maspenock in June has been indicted, moving the case from Framingham District Court to Middlesex Superior Court, NBC10 Boston reported. Steven Dana faces charges of attempted murder, strangulation or suffocation, and assault and battery on a person with a disability. He has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent.
The charge sheet tracks Massachusetts law closely. Drowning is one of the three methods the attempted murder statute names in its first sentence.
What is alleged
On the evening of June 3, 2026, Dana confronted a group of jet skiers near a residents-only boat ramp on Lake Maspenock, according to WHDH and the Associated Press. Police said he told 21-year-old Matthew Duffy it was “time to go.” The argument turned physical. Video shows the two fighting before they end up in the water, where Duffy’s friends pulled Dana off him, NBC10 reported. Prosecutors say Dana held Duffy’s head underwater.
Duffy was on crutches at the time, recovering from a motorcycle crash in March that broke his leg, pelvis and arms. “I definitely couldn’t breathe when I was under the water,” he told NBC10. He said the grand jury watched the video and he was asked “around five to seven questions.”
After his arraignment in Framingham District Court this summer, Dana was released on $7,500 cash bail and ordered to stay away from Sandy Beach. No date has been set for his Superior Court arraignment. NBC10 said it reached out to his lawyer and did not hear back.
The charges
Attempt to murder, G.L. c. 265, § 16. The statute reads: “Whoever attempts to commit murder by poisoning, drowning or strangling another person, or by any means not constituting an assault with intent to commit murder, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than twenty years.” The 20-year maximum NBC10’s legal analyst cited comes from this section. As with any attempted murder charge, the key element is specific intent to kill. A fight that ends in the water is not enough; prosecutors must prove Dana meant to cause death. Expect the video, and how long Duffy was held under, to be the center of the case.
Strangulation or suffocation, G.L. c. 265, § 15D. “Suffocation” is defined as “the intentional interference of the normal breathing or circulation of blood by blocking the nose or mouth of another.” Holding someone’s face underwater fits that definition more naturally than strangulation, which requires “substantial pressure on the throat or neck.” The base offense carries up to 5 years in state prison.
Assault and battery on a person with a disability, G.L. c. 265, § 13K. The base offense carries up to 3 years in state prison, more if it causes bodily injury. Whether a temporary injury from a motorcycle crash brings Duffy within the statute’s definition of a person with a disability is a question the defense may test. Duffy told NBC10 there was “no proof that could be shown of my injuries, but it definitely hurt.”
Our explainer on the two Massachusetts attempted murder statutes, and why intent to kill decides these cases, is in our report on the Bridgewater State homecoming case.
Why the case was indicted
District Court can impose at most two and a half years in a house of correction. Attempted murder carries up to 20 years in state prison, so a prosecutor who wants that exposure available must indict and move the case to Superior Court. NBC10’s legal analyst called it “a serious escalation.” It also means a new arraignment and, typically, a new bail review.
Frequently asked questions
What is Steven Dana charged with?
Attempted murder, strangulation or suffocation, and assault and battery on a person with a disability, after a June 3, 2026 fight at Lake Maspenock in Hopkinton. He has been indicted and the case is now in Middlesex Superior Court. He is presumed innocent.
What is the penalty for attempted murder by drowning in Massachusetts?
Up to 20 years in state prison under G.L. c. 265, section 16, which specifically names drowning.
Is Steven Dana in custody?
He was released on $7,500 cash bail after his District Court arraignment. His Superior Court arraignment has not been scheduled.
Sources: NBC10 Boston, October 2026 (indictment and Duffy interview); WHDH and Associated Press, June 2026 (incident and arraignment). G.L. c. 265, sections 13K, 15D and 16 read at malegislature.gov. Only NBC10 has reported the indictment so far. Steven Dana is presumed innocent. General information about Massachusetts law, not legal advice.