A 67-year-old Dublin woman, Bonnie Baumgartner-Zimmer, died Saturday night after her car left the road and plunged into a retention pond near Powell. Emergency crews pulled the vehicle from the water and rushed her to Mount Carmel Dublin, where she was later pronounced dead. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is handling the investigation into the single-vehicle crash.
According to The Columbus Dispatch, troopers said Baumgartner-Zimmer was driving east on Community Way around 10:45 p.m. when her 2014 Toyota Camry left the roadway at the intersection with Harmony Lane. The car ended up completely submerged in the retention pond. First responders pulled her from the water and took her to Mount Carmel Dublin Hospital, the Dispatch reported.
Retention Ponds Turn Deadly On Dark Roads
Retention ponds quietly ring many suburban streets as part of local stormwater systems, but when a vehicle goes in, especially at night, they can quickly turn deadly. Similar tragedies have unfolded around the region this spring, including a Plain City crash where a driver was later recovered from a pond, per coverage of the missing Plain City driver, and a May 7 Middletown crash where an SUV was pulled from a pond and a 71-year-old man was found dead, FOX19 reported.
Troopers Still Probing Cause Of Crash
The Ohio State Highway Patrol has said the cause of the crash remains under investigation and has not yet determined whether Baumgartner-Zimmer was wearing a seat belt, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Troopers have not released additional details and are asking anyone with information to contact authorities.
The crash happened in Liberty Township near Powell. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased as the investigation continues.
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