By Cris Alarcon, Staff Writer
PLACERVILLE, Calif. — June 24, 2025
A Saturday afternoon celebration on Lake Tahoe turned to tragedy when a 27-foot Chris-Craft powerboat capsized amid a violent storm near D.L. Bliss State Park, killing eight people and leaving two survivors clinging to life in frigid, storm-tossed waters.
The incident occurred just before 3:00 p.m. on June 21, 2025, when sudden, gale-force winds created waves as high as 8 to 10 feet, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office (EDSO). The boat was carrying 10 people, many of them from the Bay Area and New York, celebrating Paula Bozinovich’s 71st birthday.
Timeline of Events
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June 21, ~2:50 p.m.: Multiple 911 calls report a boat overturned with people in the water near D.L. Bliss State Park.
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By 3:30 p.m.: El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Coast Guard, California State Parks, and multiple fire agencies arrive on scene.
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Evening June 21: Two survivors are rescued and hospitalized; six bodies recovered from the water.
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June 22: A seventh victim is located and recovered by dive teams.
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June 23, 2:40 p.m.: The eighth and final victim is found. EDSO announces the conclusion of search and recovery operations.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy that has shaken our community and the families involved,”
said El Dorado County Sheriff Jeff Leikauf.
“We’re grateful to all the partner agencies who assisted in this massive and emotional recovery effort.”
Victims Identified
On Monday, the El Dorado County Coroner’s Division released the names of the eight victims:
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Paula Bozinovich, 71 – Redwood City, CA
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Terry Pickles, 73 – Redwood City, CA
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Joshua Antony Pickles, 37 – San Francisco, CA (Senior Director at DoorDash)
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Peter Bayes, 72 – Lincoln, CA
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Timothy O’Leary, 71 – Auburn, CA
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Theresa Giullari, 66 – Honeoye, NY
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James Guck, 69 – Honeoye, NY
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Stephen Lindsay, 63 – Springwater, NY
The boat was owned by Joshua Pickles and his wife, Jordan, who remained on shore with their 7-month-old child. The group had gathered at the family’s Lake Tahoe home to celebrate Bozinovich’s birthday.
“This is a terrible, heartbreaking tragedy that took the lives of Josh Pickles, his father Terry, mother Paula, and his uncle Peter, as well as close friends,”
said family spokesperson Sam Singer.
“They loved the lake and visited often. That makes this loss even more devastating.”
Survivors and Witnesses
Two individuals survived the capsize and were pulled from the water by emergency responders. Their identities have not been released. A witness who was hiking nearby told authorities they saw the boat struggling against rising swells just before it disappeared from view.
“It all happened in minutes,”
said Kara Delgado, a visitor from Incline Village.
“The water went from calm to chaos. The wind kicked up, the waves started rolling hard, and then we saw emergency boats rushing in.”
Cause and Safety Concerns
The National Weather Service confirmed a localized wind event swept through the area Saturday afternoon, with gusts exceeding 35 mph and rapid wave buildup. No mechanical issues have been identified with the boat. The cause of the accident is believed to be weather-related.
While EDSO has not confirmed whether victims were wearing life jackets, a federal source familiar with the investigation said the cold water, wind conditions, and wave height likely made survival without flotation gear extremely difficult.
“This was California’s deadliest recreational boating accident since 2019,”
said Lt. Aaron Benedict, U.S. Coast Guard public affairs officer.
“It underscores how quickly weather can turn dangerous on alpine lakes like Tahoe.”
A Unified Recovery Operation
EDSO coordinated the response with more than a dozen agencies, including:
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U.S. Coast Guard
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California State Parks
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Washoe County and San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Offices
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South Lake Tahoe Police and Fire
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North Tahoe Fire, Tahoe Douglas Fire, Lake Valley Fire
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U.S. Forest Service
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California Office of Emergency Services
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Wilderness Finders K-9 Search Teams
“This was a collaborative effort,”
said Sheriff Leikauf.
“Without our partners, this operation would not have been possible.”
Community Response
Memorials have begun appearing along the lake’s shoreline. DoorDash released a statement in remembrance of Joshua Pickles:
“Josh loved his team and was an inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. His leadership, kindness, and drive will be deeply missed,”
said CFO Ravi Inukonda.
El Dorado County officials are urging all boaters to heed weather alerts, wear approved personal flotation devices, and avoid the water during any active storm warnings.
