(La Porte County, IN) - Police say a man had too much alcohol to drink before damaging a utility pole and crashing into a wood pile outside La Porte.

Joshua Bowman, 37, was booked into the La Porte County Jail for operating while intoxicated following the early Sunday accident.

La Porte County Police said it appears Bowman was eastbound on 450 North when he drove across U.S. 35 and struck a guide wire on a utility pole.  His vehicle then went down a logging trail and came to rest after striking a wood pile about 100 yards from the highway.

Police said he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and had trouble walking.  He allegedly refused to take a certified breathalyzer test to measure his blood alcohol content, which resulted in his automatic OWI arrest under state law.