A serious altercation occurred at Maspenock Lake (Massachusetts), where a 70-year-old man has been accused of attempting to drown a young man who was struggling with injuries, in an incident described by authorities as an act of “senseless violence.”

Details of the Incident

The suspect, Steven Dana, 70, has been arrested and faces a series of charges, including attempted murder, strangulation/suffocation, and assault on a disabled person. The victim is Matt Duffy, 21, who was in the process of recovering from a severe motorcycle accident and was using crutches.

According to Duffy’s account to CBS News, the incident stemmed from disputes regarding the use of jet skis on the lake. The situation quickly escalated into a direct attack when Dana rushed and shoved the victim into the water.

Duffy shared the moment he was fighting for his life: “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 added regarding his helpless state at the time: “I just knew I couldn’t use either of my arms or my leg as they were both broken and I was just praying that he let go or my friends pull him off of me”.

Motive and Responses from Parties

Police in Hopkinton stated that Dana had confronted Duffy regarding his use of the lake, which is a designated area restricted to local residents. The suspect appeared particularly dissatisfied with individuals operating jet skis on the lake.

“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 added.

When police arrived, Dana claimed that he was the one attacked by Duffy’s group; however, footage from the scene revealed a completely different story: Dana was the one who actively slapped the victim and sat on top of Duffy while both were in the water.

Legal Consequences

Despite clear video evidence showing the assault, during his court appearance on Thursday, Dana pleaded not guilty to the charges, including attempted murder. If convicted, the man could face a prison sentence of over 20 years.

Currently, the local police department has urged citizens to contact the proper authorities when witnessing suspected rule-breaking rather than taking matters into their own hands.