A semi-truck hauling goods to Target came to rest in eight feet of icy Minnesota creek water after its driver lost control.
The 35-year-old driver John Nettifee from St Paul crossed a lane of oncoming traffic on Interstate I-94 early Friday morning, passing a ditch and finally crashing into a nearby pond.
The weight of the semi crushed the six-inch layer of ice, and the truck became submerged in seven to eight feet of water.
The icy water came up to the vehicle’s windows, nearly submerging the entire cabin, , State Patrol spokesman Lieutenant Eric Roeske told KARE-11 News.
Luckily, the rig remained upright throughout the ordeal, and Mr Nettifee was able to escape by crawling through the truck’s roof hatch, KSTP-TV reports.
He was taken to nearby Monticello Hospital and treated for minor injuries, police said.
‘Target’s first priority is the safety of our guests and team members,’ Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder told FOX 9.
‘We are extremely grateful that no one was seriously injured during this incident.’
The truck, which clearly displays the Target logo, was submerged in the pond until workers managed to pull it out, around 2.30pm today.
Photos show the semi made a straight beeline across the westbound lane of traffic.
According to KSTP-TV, it took crews quite some time to figure out how to extricate the semi, which had begun to sink into the mud.
Divers had to be sent down to hook cables to the back of the truck in multiple spots.
Police are investigating the crash, though KSTP reports the situation could have been a lot worse, given the factors of the accident.
