DIXFIELD – A 23-year-old Carthage man was in fair condition at Central Maine Medical Center on Friday night after he touched downed electrical wires as he crawled out of his damaged vehicle beside Route 142.

Nicholas Jones was driving south along Route 142 when he went into a slide on a curve just south of the Carthage/Dixfield line, Dixfield police officer Jeff Howe said. Apparently Jones overcorrected his 1993 Jeep Cherokee, slid sideways into a snow bank, then into a utility pole, Howe said.

He said dangling wires from the accident touched Jones’ back as he crawled out of his vehicle. He was taken to Rumford Hospital by Med-Care Ambulance Service where he was stabilized, then moved to the Lewiston hospital.

Travel in both directions was closed for about 15 minutes after the 6:30 p.m. accident, then one lane of traffic was opened. Members of the Dixfield Fire Co. provided the initial medical assessment for Jones, then assisted with directing traffic until the scene was cleared a couple of hours later.

Fire Chief Scott Dennett said Jones was fortunate. Nine firefighters and two fire trucks responded to the accident.

Dennett said Central Maine Power was working to restore electricity about 9:15 p.m. Friday. An unknown number of Carthage residents were without power during the repairs.

The Jeep Cherokee was destroyed in the accident.

Howe was assisted at the scene by Sgt. Timothy Holland of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.