• Eight people, including DoorDash executive Josh Pickles and his parents, died. This tragedy occurred when their boat capsized during a sudden windstorm on Lake Tahoe.
• The group was celebrating a family birthday when the storm hit. The storm produced 8-foot waves and 35 mph winds, making it California’s deadliest boating incident since 2019.
• Only two passengers survived the incident, which has sparked grief across the tech world. Additionally, it raised questions about lake weather safety and storm warnings.

A joyful birthday celebration turned into one of the worst boating tragedies California has seen in years. Eight lives were lost, including that of a beloved DoorDash executive. A powerful and sudden windstorm capsized a family boat on Lake Tahoe over the weekend.

The victims were enjoying what should have been a peaceful day — a day meant to honor a mother’s 71st birthday — when nature turned brutal. The serene blue waters of Tahoe, usually a symbol of calm and retreat, became a place of unimaginable loss.

A Celebratory Outing Turns Deadly

Josh Pickles, a 37-year-old DoorDash executive, boarded a 27-foot Chris-Craft powerboat Saturday with his parents, Terry Pickles, 73, and Paula Bozinovich, 71. They were joined by five others — family and close friends — for what was supposed to be a cheerful ride to celebrate Bozinovich’s milestone birthday.

But as the group made their way across the lake, the weather took a terrifying turn. A violent storm system, which local authorities said developed with little warning, whipped across Lake Tahoe with winds reaching 35 mph. Towering waves — some up to eight feet high — tossed the boat like a toy. Within minutes, the lake turned chaotic, causing the boat to capsize due to furious gusts and surging water.

Only two of the ten people on board managed to survive. They were rescued from the frigid waters and rushed to a hospital with hypothermia and other injuries. The remaining eight, including Josh and both his parents, did not make it.

Remembering a Father, Husband, and Leader

Josh Pickles’ sudden death has left a deep scar on those who knew him. His colleagues at DoorDash and his grieving young family are all affected. As the company’s global head of strategic sourcing and procurement, he had earned a reputation for passion, leadership, and humanity. However, to his loved ones he was so much more — a devoted husband and a new father.

He leaves behind his wife, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, and their baby daughter, only seven months old. The young mother, an executive assistant at Airbnb, chose not to join the outing to stay onshore with their child. That decision may have saved her life. Tragically, it came at the unthinkable cost of losing her husband, his parents, and other members of the close-knit family.

In a heartbreaking message, Sugar-Carlsgaard expressed her sorrow with local news outlet KTXL: “No words can express the pain and anguish we feel knowing their lives were lost.”

“A Contagious Spirit”: Grief Spreads Across Silicon Valley

DoorDash’s CFO Ravi Inukonda described Josh as a man who brought energy, kindness, and purpose to everything he touched. “Josh loved his team and was an inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” Inukonda said. “The loss of Josh is immeasurable.”

For nearly seven years, Josh had been a vital part of DoorDash’s finance division. But beyond the spreadsheets and strategic meetings, he was known for lifting spirits and making people feel seen and heard.

Colleagues and friends alike have taken to social media to share memories — stories of his mentorship, his laughter, and the way he brought people together. The tech world, often fast-paced and impersonal, paused in mourning.

A Family Devastated

The accident claimed the lives of three generations from the same family. Alongside Josh, Terry Pickles, and Paula Bozinovich — longtime residents who split their time between the Bay Area and a cherished home at Lake Tahoe — were remembered. They were generous, lively, and loved the lake that would ultimately take their lives.

“They loved Lake Tahoe,” said family spokesperson Sam Singer. “It was their sanctuary. That makes this tragedy even more painful.”

The couple had only recently purchased the Chris-Craft boat with Josh, sharing ownership and dreams of peaceful lake outings. According to Singer, they had only taken the boat out twice before. The third trip ended in disaster.

Also among the deceased were Peter Bayes, Josh’s 72-year-old uncle; family friends Timothy O’Leary, 71; Theresa Giullari, 66; James Guck, 69; and Stephen Lindsay, 63. Each was connected to the Pickles family by years of memories and shared holidays. Elevating this day of celebration to a tragic event, it has become California’s deadliest boating disaster since the 2019 Conception boat fire, which killed 34 people.

Public Shock and Search for Answers

As news of the tragedy spread, public reaction was swift. Social media flooded with messages of sympathy for the families, but also frustration and fear. Many locals questioned whether there had been enough warning about the incoming storm. How could such a powerful system strike without giving boaters time to seek shelter?

Weather experts confirmed the storm developed quickly and violently — a phenomenon not entirely rare in the Sierra Nevada region. Still, calls for better lake weather alerts and stronger safety precautions are growing. Some critics argue that more could be done to educate seasonal boaters and monitor dangerous conditions before they become fatal.

The U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities are conducting a full investigation to determine the precise causes of the capsizing. Weather remains the central factor.