The United States border with Canada was temporarily closed in Maine on Monday after a driver claiming to have an explosive device ignored orders to stop his truck, causing authorities to shoot.
State troopers initially tried to stop the vehicle in Houlton as it was traveling along Interstate 95 at around 10:39 a.m. Rather than complying, the truck “continued northbound without stopping, and the Trooper observed a sign indicating that the operator had an explosive device on-board,” authorities said in a statement.
The driver eventually came to a stop between the US and Canada, “where troopers commanded the driver to get out of the vehicle,” police said. Instead, he “maneuvered” his truck toward the Canadian port of entry in Woodstock, New Brunswick, causing Corporal Eric Paquette to discharge his weapon, police said.
The driver, identified as Tony Holford, 42, from Providence, R.I., was not injured and surrendered to authorities. He was then transported to the Aroostook County Jail and charged with aggravated reckless conduct, terrorizing, and failure to stop, police said.
A motive was unclear on Tuesday. Maine State Police, Maine’s attorney general, and Canadian authorities are investigating the incident. Officials said there was no danger to the public.
Amid the chaos, the Canada Border Services Agency tweeted on Monday afternoon that Highway 95 in Belleville, at the Houlton-Woodstock border crossing, was closed due to a police operation. Operations have since returned to normal.