A speeding motorist zipped past a stop sign and swamped his compact car in Lake Calhoun, then blamed his late-night plunge on faulty brakes.

Minneapolis police cited Benjamin F. Quinn, 24, of Richfield, for reckless driving after his car ended up about 25 feet from the lake's eastern shore and submerged roughly up to its door handles.

Quinn told police that at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday he was heading west on 36th Street at 45 miles per hour -- the limit there is 30 mph -- and attempted to stop at the bottom of the hill. However, he said, his brakes failed and he could not avoid the city's largest lake.

Police reported finding no skid marks at the scene.

Quinn declined medical attention.

PAUL WALSH