HOULTON, Maine — A Rhode Island man who surrendered at the Canadian border on Memorial Day said in court on Wednesday that his actions were a cry for help and he never had anything dangerous in his vehicle.
Tony Holford, 42, of Providence, Rhode Island, was charged with four felony counts related to an alleged bomb and terrorizing with a dangerous weapon and two misdemeanor counts for eluding police, according to Judge Stephen Nelson. He remains in Aroostook County Jail in Houlton.
“It was a lie because I needed help,” Holford told Nelson. “I never had a weapon.”
No explosives were found in Holford’s vehicle, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
On Memorial Day, Holford was driving north on Interstate 95 with a sign on his vehicle suggesting he had explosives, according to police. When a state trooper attempted to pull Holford over, he allegedly didn’t stop and continued driving toward the Canadian border.
When he stopped at the border, troopers demanded he step out of his vehicle. Instead, Holford moved his vehicle toward the Canadian port of entry and a trooper shot at Holford, according to police.
Holford was not injured and he surrendered, police said.
Assistant District Attorney Ian Anderson asked that Holford’s bail be set at $5,000 cash and for GPS monitoring because of the seriousness of his alleged actions and his out-of-state residence. Anderson said Holford has no prior convictions.
Attorney Jeff Pickering said that Holford is a Maine resident and asked that bail be set at $500 cash.
Holford asked the judge to set his bail at $500 because he had no intention of running and could at least be out of jail.
Nelson set Holford’s bail at $1,000 cash, ordered GPS monitoring and barred him from leaving the state.
The case will go before the grand jury, and if Holford is indicted, his next hearing is set for 1 p.m. on Sept. 5 in Houlton.
The Maine attorney general’s office is investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting, as is standard procedure in all police shootings in the state.
