Eight Lake Tahoe drowning victims identified in boating tragedy

(KRON) — Eight victims who drowned during the Lake Tahoe boating tragedy were identified by law enforcement officials Tuesday. The group’s boat capsized when a sudden thunderstorm whipped up powerful wind and waves last weekend. Only two of the 10 people who were thrown into the water survived.

The victims ranged in ages between 37-73, and three lived in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Division identified the victims as:

• Joshua Antony Pickles, 37, of San Francisco
• Paula Bozinovich, 71, of Redwood City, Calif.
• Terry Pickles, 73, of Redwood City, Calif.
• Peter Bayes, 72, of Lincoln, Calif.
• Timothy O’Leary, 71, of Auburn, Calif.
• Theresa Giullari, 66, of Honeoye, NY
• James Guck, 69, of Honeoye, NY
• Stephen Lindsay, 63, of Springwater, NY

Victims from the Bay Area were family members, while others on the boat were friends of the family.

Josh Pickles’ widow, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, wrote in a statement to KRON4, “We lost my loving husband Josh Pickles, his parents Terry Pickles and Paula Bozinovich, and Uncle Peter Bayes, as well as friends in this tragedy.”

Sugar-Carlsgaard continued, “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.”

Ten people were on board a 27-foot-long Chris-Craft boat when it flipped Saturday afternoon near D.L. Bliss State Park, located on the southwest side of Lake Tahoe, U.S. Coast Guard officials said. A thunderstorm whipped up 35-mph winds and 8-foot-high waves, the USCG said.

The boat capsized around 3 p.m. Two people were rescued from the water and taken to a hospital. Search teams recovered eight bodies from the lake.

Several other boaters who were on the lake when the deadly thunderstorm hit said their boats were heavily damaged.

Sugar-Carlsgaard told KRON4, “We are deeply grateful to the U.S. Coast Guard, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, regional law enforcement and fire agencies in Washoe and San Joaquin, local lifeguards, and all the first responders in the search and rescue effort. We are profoundly thankful for their help in the tragic situation.”

Over a dozen agencies participated in the search and recovery efforts, including: El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, North Tahoe Fire, California State Parks, South Lake Tahoe Police, South Lake Tahoe Fire, Washoe County Nevada Sheriff’s Office, Tahoe Douglas Fire, United States Coast Guard, North Lake Tahoe Fire, San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, United State Forest Service, and Wilderness Finder Search Dog Teams.