First responders rescued a woman after her car plunged into Hayden Lake on Tuesday.

Hayden resident Levi Carroll witnessed the incident, which occurred around 2 p.m. at Honeysuckle Beach.

Carroll said he was standing outside of his vehicle, taking in the view with his back turned to the boat launch, when he heard what he described as the “obvious” sound of a car going into the water.

Turning, Carroll saw a newer-model silver vehicle floating between two docks.

He called 911 as he ran toward the scene — and decided to jump into the frigid water and swam out to the sinking car.

Inside the car was an older woman.

“She looked right at me,” Carroll said. “She was conscious.”

Carroll said he asked the woman if she could roll down the window or unlock the door. The woman did not appear to attempt to do either of those things, he said.

With the car sinking, Carroll said he realized there wasn’t much else he could do. He swam to the dock.

“I wasn’t able to pull myself out, I was so cold,” he said. “I shimmied up to the boat launch and pulled myself out.”

By then, Carroll said he heard sirens. Only the rear end of the car was visible above the water when emergency responders arrived.

“They got a rope and were able to lasso the car over to the dock,” he said.

Emergency personnel broke the car’s rear window and pulled the woman out.

“About as soon as they grabbed a hold of her, the car went under,” Carroll said.

The woman was put on a stretcher and removed from the scene. Carroll said personnel on site told him the woman was not injured.

Carroll said he saw no choice but to jump in the lake.

“I wasn’t going to sit there and watch somebody drown without giving it a go,” he said.

He said the quick response of rescue personnel likely saved the woman’s life.

“They really did a great job,” he said. “Had they been two minutes later, I don’t know what the outcome would’ve been.”

The reason the car entered the lake is not known at this time.