BRIDGEWATER – A 46-year old New Milford woman was removed from the icy waters of Lake Lillinonah, Bridgewater, Saturday afternoon after her 2006 Toyota Scion plunged off of the state boat ramp located on the shore there.
The woman, Ewa Bielska, was unconscious and unresponsive after spending more than two hours in the submerged vehicle, was taken to Danbury Hospital, where efforts to revive her failed and she was pronounced dead at 4 p.m.
The car and the woman were recovered about 40 yards from the boat launch and in about 40 feet of water by local dive teams. Lake Lillinonah divides Bridgewater and Brookfield at that location. The woman was the sole passenger in the vehicle.
Authorities were alerted shortly before noon that a car had gone off the boat launch into the lake. Witnesses said they saw the car floating out from the boat launch and then sinking.
The dive teams who assisted in removing the car and woman from the lake were provided by Brookfield and New Milford Police as well as Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue. A heavy-duty tow truck was also used and State Police were on the scene to provide assistance, as were Bridgewater Police.
They worked to locate the car, and to dive down to recover the car and the driver. The car windows were up, sealing the vehicle, when it was found by divers.
The name of the woman is being withheld pending notification of family members.
State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Environmental Conservation Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
