Man on bath salts arrested

    BANCROFT — A Lee man was behind bars Saturday evening after setting fire to his girlfriend’s car while they were driving on the Bancroft Road.
    Shawn Birtz, 33, was reportedly under the influence of bath salts when he was traveling with his girlfriend Brittany Osgood around 6:20 p.m., according to Maine State Police Sgt. Brian Harris.
    “Tr. Quint discovered that Shawn Birtz was under the influence of bath salts and hallucinating and had set his girlfriend’s (Brittany Osgood) car on fire as he and Brittany were traveling on the Bancroft Road,” Harris said. “Brittany and Shawn were able to get out of the car, escaping injury as the car was engulfed in flames.”
    The car was burned beyond recognition, Harris added.
    Birtz was transported to Houlton Regional Hospital for treatment of his consumption of bath salts and after being treated and later released, he was arrested for arson and domestic violence/reckless conduct. He was transported to the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton, where he remained Monday.
    Trooper Dennis Quint investigated the incident with the help of Trooper Jill Monahan, U.S. Border Patrol agents and Ed Archer of the state Fire Marshal’s Office.