Hopkinton man, 70, charged with attempted murder after lake access dispute at Sandy Beach
A 70-year-old Hopkinton resident faces attempted murder charges after holding a 21-year-old underwater during a fight at Sandy Beach over lake access rights.
Hopkinton man held a 21-year-old underwater during Sandy Beach dispute, police say
A 70-year-old Hopkinton man was arrested Wednesday evening on charges including attempted murder after a violent altercation with a 21-year-old at Sandy Beach on Lake Maspenock, according to hopkintonindependent.com.
Stephen Dana was charged with attempt to murder, two counts of strangulation/suffocation, and assault and battery on a disabled person, Hopkinton Police Deputy Chief Scott van Raalten stated in a release issued Thursday morning.
Officers were called to a reported fight in progress at approximately 6:55 p.m. Wednesday. Four officers responded, identified the parties involved, and began an initial investigation. To keep the two men separated, officers asked Dana — who lives in the same neighbourhood — to return to his home and wait.
The investigation established that Dana had confronted the younger man over his use of Lake Maspenock. The only boat ramp to the lake, which straddles the towns of Hopkinton and Milford, is located on Lakeshore Drive and is restricted to Hopkinton residents from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
Video footage reviewed by officers showed Dana slapping the 21-year-old across the face before the two ended up in a struggle in the water. The footage then showed Dana forcefully holding the younger man beneath the surface. Bystanders nearby pulled Dana off the victim.
Police also learned that the 21-year-old had been involved in an accident several months earlier that caused severe injuries, and that he was walking with crutches at the time of the altercation — a circumstance that accounts for the additional charge of assault and battery on a disabled person.
Dana was arrested without incident at his residence and transported to the police station, where he was held without bail pending arraignment Thursday at Framingham District Court. Both Dana and the 21-year-old declined medical transport to a local hospital.
Investigators believe Dana approached the victim because he was not a Hopkinton resident and confronted him about his presence on the lake, an exchange that escalated to violence.
"This is an incident of senseless violence that could have had tragic results, and we treat matters like this with the utmost seriousness," van Raalten stated. "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 added that officers performed well under difficult circumstances. "Our goal during an investigation is to obtain the clearest picture of the incident so that we can understand the circumstances, which is often difficult given the heightened emotions of the parties involved. Our responding officers did an outstanding job remaining professional while navigating this investigation. There is no place for unnecessary violence in Hopkinton."
The case is expected to be updated as further information becomes available.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)