San Francisco — Four members of a Northern California family celebrating a birthday were among eight people killed when a boat capsized on Lake Tahoe in California over the weekend during a sudden and violent thunderstorm.
Josh Pickles, 37, of San Francisco, his parents, Terry Pickles, 73, and Paula Bozinovich, 71, of Redwood City, and his uncle, Peter Bayes, 72, of Lincoln, all died Saturday, according to a family statement.
“No words can express the pain and anguish we feel knowing their lives were lost during what was meant to be a joyful time on the lake,” Josh Pickles’ wife, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, said in a statement Tuesday. “Our hearts go out to those who tragically lost their lives and the two survivors of this unexpected and deadly storm on Lake Tahoe.”
The boat flipped over, and two people were rescued immediately. Their identities and conditions were unknown Tuesday.
The group was celebrating Paula Bozinovich’s birthday aboard her son’s boat, which he purchased about a year ago, according to Sam Singer, a family spokesperson.
Josh Pickles’ wife had stayed at home to care for their 7-month-old daughter, Singer said.
The couple, who married in 2023, both worked for tech companies in San Francisco. Josh worked at DoorDash, and Jordan at AirBNB, according to Singer.
They split their time between homes in the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe, where they had only used their boat twice previously.
Ravi Inukonda, Chief Financial Officer at DoorDash, said the death of Josh, who had been with the company for nearly seven years, left them heartbroken.
“Josh loved his team and was an inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” Inukonda stated. “Our thoughts and love are with his wife, his daughter, his family, and all who were close to him.”
Ten people were on board the 27-foot (8-meter) gold Chris-Craft boat when it capsized Saturday afternoon near D.L. Bliss State Park on the lake’s southwest edge as the storm whipped up high waves, according to US Coast Guard officials.
“The waves were so big that the water came onboard and started to fill the boat up and stalled the engine,” according to Singer.
According to the coroner’s office, Timothy O’Leary, 71, of Auburn, California; Theresa Giullari, 66, and James Guck, 69, of Honeyoye, New York; and Stephen Lindsay, 63, of Springwater, New York, were also killed.
The thunderstorm’s intensity surprised even forecasters, who had predicted rain but nothing like the squall that lashed the southern part of the lake around 3 p.m., according to meteorologist Matthew Chyba of the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada. Winds reached 35 mph (56 kph), and waves grew to more than 8 feet (2.5 meters).
“We weren’t expecting it to be so strong,” Chyba said on Monday. He said temperatures in the area were significantly lower than normal for this time of year, which could have contributed to the unstable air mass.
Drownings and other accidental deaths occur on the lake every year, but boating accidents involving multiple fatalities are uncommon, according to South Lake Tahoe Police Lt. Scott Crivelli.
Each summer, there are an average of six deaths on the lake, with a record 15 fatalities in 2021, he said.
