WOODLAND – A Caribou man has been charged with operating under the influence of intoxicants after a single-vehicle accident Saturday evening.

Guy Searles, 73, escaped injury after his 1997 Jeep failed to negotiate a curve on the Fowler Road in Woodland, left the road and struck a utility pole, Trooper Kim Espling of the Maine State Police said Sunday.

Searles was southbound at 6:30 p.m. Saturday when his vehicle crossed the center line, plunged down an embankment, hit some trees and came to a stop at the pole, Espling said.

Searles was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. He was alone in the car and the air bag deployed, the trooper said.

Searles’ Jeep sustained between $22,000 and $23,000 in damage and was declared a total loss. Maine Public Service Co. workers were called in to replace the utility pole.

Caribou ambulance and fire departments responded to the accident, but Searles required no treatment at the scene. He was transported to Caribou Police Department for processing on the OUI charge, Espling said.

Searles was released that evening, and the accident remains under investigation.