Sudden Storm Capsizes Lake Tahoe Boat, Eight Dead Including DoorDash Executive

Paula Bozinovich, Josh Pickles, and Terry Pickles were all killed after their family boat capsized on Lake Tahoe

A sudden windstorm struck Lake Tahoe on Saturday around 3:00 p.m., unleashing 35 mph (56 km/h) gusts and 8-foot waves that capsized a 27-foot powerboat carrying eight individuals celebrating a birthday. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday that all eight passengers died, including DoorDash executive 37-year-old Josh Pickles, his parents Terry Pickles, 73, and Paula Bozinovich, 71. The remaining victims were Joshua’s uncle Peter Bayes, 72, and family friends Timothy O’Leary, 71; Theresa Giullari, 66; James Guck, 69; and Stephen Lindsay, 63.

Coordinates on the lake repaid their stormy toll when two more bodies were recovered Monday, raising the total to eight. Two additional passengers survived and were hospitalized with hypothermia and related injuries.

Josh Pickles, who led global strategic sourcing and procurement at DoorDash for nearly seven years, is remembered by CFO Ravi Inukonda as a “contagious spirit” and reliable leader. “The loss of Josh is immeasurable,” Inukonda stated. Pickles leaves behind his wife, Jordan Sugar‑Carlsgaard of Airbnb and their seven-month-old daughter. Jordan, who remained shoreside, released an emotional tribute: “We are devastated by this tragedy… No words can express the pain and anguish we feel.”

Eyewitnesses like visitor Gloria Brigantino described the terrifying conditions as boats smashed ashore and anchors ripped loose. She recalled the abrupt plunge of the weather: “The water was just screaming toward the shore. It was bad.” Within 35 minutes, nine boats had piled up on the shoreline.

The Coast Guard confirmed that ten people fell into the water from the boat and only two were rescued alive. The storm had cleared by 4:30 p.m., returning the skies to their usual alpine calm.

Lake Tahoe—straddling the California–Nevada border—is typically known for its serenity, making this storm and its deadly aftermath particularly shocking. Authorities have urged boaters to monitor weather updates closely, as rapid changes can occur even on sunny days.