AUGUSTA — The northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Augusta were shut down Thursday after bullets inside a car that caught fire during a six-vehicle pileup went off.
Maine State Police said 40 bullets exploded during a 10-minute period.
Though no one involved was shot, three people were taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta for treatment of injuries that were not considered life-threatening, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said Thursday afternoon in a news release.
The collision occurred shortly before 1 p.m., near mile marker 106, when a Honda driven by Travis Veilleux, 20, of Winslow slammed into a tractor-trailer that was slowing down. The Honda caught fire.
Four other vehicles then crashed into them, resulting in a pileup that temporarily shut down the interstate and backed up traffic for 5 miles in both directions.
Veilleux, his passenger Stephanie Pleau, 20, of Vassalboro, and the driver of the tractor-trailer, whose name was not available, were all injured, McCausland said.
In addition to the ammunition, Veilleux had two handguns in his car, McCausland said, adding that Veilleux likely will be charged for causing the crash.
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