Authorities open fire after driver rushes US-Canadian border station
A Rhode Island man was shot at but uninjured by Maine state troopers Monday after he refused law enforcement’s orders to stop near the U.S.-Canadian border.
A trooper near first attempted to stop the driver — identified as 42-year-old Tony Holford of Providence — near Houlton, Maine, when he saw a sign indicating that the driver had an explosive device in his vehicle. The driver continued on Interstate 95, eventually heading toward the border, according to a release from the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit.
It’s not clear what exactly signaled a possible explosive device.
Eric Paquette of the Maine State Police shot at Holford when he failed to follow instructions to stop and exit the vehicle and instead drove toward the Canadian port of entry.
Holford was not injured and surrendered to the police. He has been charged with aggravated reckless conduct, terrorizing and failure to stop.
The area of the incident has been contained and is not considered a danger to the public.
Drivers should, however, avoid the area and use other ports of entry if necessary, the release stated, as investigators will likely continue to process the scene throughout the night.
Investigators have since determined that Holford had no explosives in his vehicle.
Updated at 3:06 pm ET on May 31.
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