The Highway Patrol said the 2001 Toyota Tacoma was traveling down New Hill-Holliman Road at 60 mph when it crashed through guardrail, flipped and rolled down the embankment and plunged about 30 feet out into the lake around 7:24 a.m.
"I gave it some gas and there was an icy spot and I lost control. After that, it fishtailed and the truck hit the guardrail and it rolled a couple of times and landed in the water," driver Timothy Canter said.
Canter 26, of Holly Springs, said the truck floated at first.
"When water started coming in the front window, it went down fast. I had climbed in the bed [which] tilted up at an angle and I slid to the bottom. I couldn't have stayed any longer," he said.
Canter swam about 30 feet to shore and a passing driver helped pull him out.
Wake County deputies searched the lake by boat using poles. Seven hours and two boats later, the vehicle was back on dry land.
"He was extremely lucky," said Trooper S.M. Harrison of the state Highway Patrol. "This should serve as a warning to a lot of motorists [that] sometimes there is a spot and that's all it takes is that one spot."
Cantor, who was not injured, was charged with exceeding a safe speed.
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