Truck went over the guardrail and nearly into Lake Norman. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Updated 3:22 p.m.
A southbound tractor-trailer skidded on icy pavement and crashed Saturday afternoon on I-77 just north of Exit 30. The accident forced closure of the southbound lanes and backed up traffic for miles into Iredell County. The crash left a surprising scene: The tractor-trailer wound up with its cab nearly in Lake Norman.

The crash happened around 1:15 p.m. on the causeway between Lake Norman and Lake Davidson, just north of the Exit 30 ramp.

Nobody was hurt in the accident, Davidson police Sgt. John Sarver said this afternoon. He said the section of I-77 on the causeway had iced over.

“The tractor-trailer lost control and struck the guardrail,” Sgt. Sarver said. The truck continued over the guardrail and nearly into the water.

A second tractor-trailer swerved to avoid the first one and drove onto the median between the northbound and southbound lanes.

The state Department of Transportation estimated it could be 4 p.m. before the accident was cleared and the southbound lanes reopened. Traffic was affected in both directions of the highway, the northbound lanes because of onlooker delays.

Southbound traffic was being detoured off Exit 31 (Langtree Road) and down Hwy. 115.

At around 3:20, Sgt. Sarver said crews were still lifting the truck back onto the roadway. He estimated it could be 4:15 p.m. before the road reopened.

The truck that went over the guardrail nearly entered the waters of Lake Norman. Diesel fuel possibly from the truck could be smelled and seen in the water near a marina and Davidson’s North Harbor Club.

UPDATES: By nightfall, the road was open again. A fire department report says the truck was carrying U.S. Mail. Also, it says about 35 gallons of diesel fuel as well as an undetermined amount of engine oil discharged into Lake Norman.