Driver charged after car goes into water at Ashbridges Bay, resulting in death of passenger

Emergency responders search Ashbridges Bay after a vehicle went into the water on Jan. 19. (Jacob Estrin/CTV News Toronto)

A driver has been charged in connection with a crash at Ashbridges Bay Sunday night that saw a car plunged into frigid Lake Ontario, resulting in the death of a female passenger.

In a news release on Tuesday, Toronto police said the driver, identified as 23-year-old Kristjan Serraj, is facing a charge of dangerous operation causing death.

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Emergency crews were called to Ashbridges Bay Park Road at 9:30 p.m. after a vehicle was found submerged in the water.

According to police, two people were inside the vehicle at the time it dove into the water. They said the driver managed to get out while the passenger was trapped.

The first four officers who arrived at the scene jumped into the water without proper equipment when they learned that one person was still in the car.

The marine unit shortly got to the scene and was able to pull the woman out. She was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries but was pronounced dead.

Her identity has not been released.

Meanwhile, the four officers were also taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

It remains unclear how the car ended up in the water.