SCARBOROUGH — A Portland man attempted to run down a Maine State Police trooper along the Maine Turnpike late Saturday afternoon, a spokesman said in a news release.

The trooper, who fired at the vehicle as it backed toward him, was placed on administrative leave, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said Saturday night.

The driver, Matthew Cole, 23, was charged with eluding a police officer and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, McCausland said.

He said Trooper Kyle Wells attempted to pull over Cole’s car for an expired registration, but the car sped off, lost control at Exit 42 in Scarborough and went off the roadway.

Wells was outside his cruiser when Cole’s car began backing toward the trooper, who fired at the vehicle. Cole was not injured and was taken to the Cumberland County Jail.

As is standard procedure, Maine State Police placed the trooper on administrative leave with pay as the incident is investigated, McCausland said. Because the shooting involved a police officer, the Maine Attorney General’s Office is the investigating agency.