SAN FRANCISCO — The victims of a tragic boating accident in Lake Tahoe have been identified by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Division, including a family from northern California.
Among those who died were 37-year-old Josh Pickles from San Francisco, and his parents, Terry Pickles, 73, and Paula Bozinovich, 71, who were from Redwood City.
Josh Pickles held an executive position at DoorDash in San Francisco, serving as the global head of strategic sourcing and procurement on the finance team. As noted on his LinkedIn profile, Pickles had been with DoorDash for almost seven years, after previous roles at Salesforce and Cisco Systems.
DoorDash provided a statement to ABC San Francisco affiliate KGO:
“We are heartbroken by the tragic accident that took the life of our beloved colleague, Josh Pickles. Josh loved his team and was an inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. During his nearly seven years at DoorDash, he brought a contagious spirit that lifted those around him. The loss of Josh is immeasurable. We miss him deeply and will carry his memory with us always. Our thoughts and love are with his wife, his daughter, his family, and all who were close to him. We are working to support them through this incredibly difficult time.”
RELATED: 8th death confirmed after boat capsizes in Lake Tahoe during fast-moving storm, authorities say
Two other victims were from California: 72-year-old Peter Bayes from Lincoln and 71-year-old Timothy O’Leary from Auburn.
Bayes was Josh Pickles’ uncle, according to family spokesperson Sam Singer.
Singer told KGO that the boat belonged to Josh Pickles and his wife.
“This is a terrible heartbreaking tragedy that took the lives of Joshua Pickles, his father Terry, his mother Paula, his uncle Peter as well as friends and family, all of whom were out on the lake celebrating the 71st birthday of his mother,” Singer said. “The family has homes in the Bay Area as well as on Lake Tahoe. They love the lake. That adds to the tragedy has occurred.”
Josh Pickles’ wife and 7-month-old child skipped the boat outing, instead staying on shore, according to Singer.
KGO has received a statement from Pickles’ wife, Joran:
“We are devastated by this tragedy. 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.”
There were also three victims from New York: 66-year-old Theresa Giullari and 69-year-old James Guck from Honeoye, and 63-year-old Stephen Lindsay from Springwater.
Two people on board did survive, but their condition is not known.
“The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were lost and all those who have been affected by this tragic event,” the sheriff’s office said as they thanked all agencies that assisted.
RELATED: ABC7’s Drew Tuma examines fast-moving Tahoe storm that caused deadly capsizing, extensive damage
A powerful thunderstorm with strong winds battered the Tahoe area over the weekend that whipped up high waves in a short amount of time.
The group of 10 was on a 27-foot “Chris-Craft” luxury powerboat.
The 911 calls that the boat had capsized came in around 5 p.m. on Saturday.
While stormy weather was in the forecast, the intensity of the weather surprised people in the area as waves reached 8 to 10 feet.
This is the deadliest boating incident in California since 2019.
Copyright © 2025 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
