A DoorDash executive and three members of his family were among the eight lives tragically lost over the weekend, after a sudden and violent thunderstorm on Lake Tahoe in California.
Other victims included Joshua Pickles' parents, Paula Bozinovich, 71, and Terry Pickles, 73, both of Redwood City; and his uncle Peter Bayes, 72, of Lincoln, California.
Also killed were Timothy O’Leary, 71, of Auburn, California; Theresa Giullari, 66, and James Guck, 69, both of Honeoye, New York; and Stephen Lindsay, 63, of Springwater, New York.
The group had gathered on Saturday to celebrate Bozinovich’s birthday on her son’s boat, a 27-foot gold Chris-Craft vessel, when the storm struck unexpectedly near D.L. Bliss State Park on the lake’s southwest shore, according to a family spokesperson.
“The waves were so big that the water came onboard and started to fill the boat up and stalled the engine,” said Sam Singer, a spokesperson for the Pickles family, describing the chaos as the storm grew worse.
Two people were rescued immediately after the boat overturned, but their identities and current conditions have not been released, officials said.
Joshua Pickles, who worked at DoorDash for nearly seven years, was remembered by colleagues as a dedicated and inspiring team member. “Josh loved his team and was an inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” said Ravi Inukonda, Chief Financial Officer at DoorDash, in a statement. “Our thoughts and love are with his wife, his daughter, his family, and all who were close to him.”
Pickles’ wife, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, who works at Airbnb, was not on board the boat, having stayed home to care for their seven-month-old daughter, according to Singer. The couple, who married in 2023, split their time between the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe.
In a statement released Tuesday, Sugar-Carlsgaard spoke of her family’s devastation, stating, “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. 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 storm, which struck around 3 p.m. on Saturday, brought winds exceeding 35 mph and waves more than eight feet high, according to Matthew Chyba, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada.
Chyba said the intensity of the squall was unexpected, with forecasters having predicted only rain for the area.
Boating accidents with multiple fatalities are rare on Lake Tahoe, where an average of six deaths occur each summer, according to South Lake Tahoe Police Lt. Scott Crivelli. “I can’t remember the last time there were eight dead at once and I have been here 16 years,” Crivelli said.