A tragic incident on Lake Tahoe has left eight people dead, including a DoorDash executive and his mother. The group was celebrating a birthday when their boat capsized during a sudden storm.
Josh Pickles, a 37-year-old executive at DoorDash, and his family had gathered to celebrate his mother Paula Bozinovich’s 71st birthday. The family was enjoying their time on a 27-foot powerboat near D.L. Bliss State Park when a powerful thunderstorm hit on Saturday afternoon. Winds quickly increased from 5-10 mph to an alarming 35-45 mph, and temperatures dropped nearly 20 degrees, creating dangerous conditions on the lake. Waves reached heights of 7 to 10 feet.
The boat capsized, along with several others on the lake that day. Emergency services, including the Coast Guard and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, responded around 3 p.m. after receiving reports of people in the water. Two individuals were rescued and taken to a hospital, but six others were found dead shortly after. Over the next two days, search teams recovered the bodies of the last two victims, bringing the total to eight.
The victims included Josh Pickles, his parents Paula and Terry Pickles, and several family friends. The group hailed from California and New York. Josh’s widow, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, expressed her devastation in a statement, saying, “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 and his wife had recently welcomed a baby, who was not on the boat during the incident. The family had only taken the boat out a few times since purchasing it last year. Josh was known for his leadership at DoorDash, where he played a key role in global sourcing and procurement. His colleagues remembered him as an inspiring figure.
Authorities are still investigating the incident, and it is too early to determine if life jackets were used or the exact cause of death for the victims. The lake’s water temperature was below 60 degrees at the time, which can lead to hypothermia if a person is submerged for too long.
This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of how quickly conditions can change on the water and the importance of safety measures while boating.