Doordash executive, his parents died in 8 people in a boating accident in Tahoe Lake
A 37-year-old Doordash executive, a new father and eight, died after a sudden storm after tilting his cap on Lake Tahoe.
The other crew members who died were friends or relatives of Chief Executive Josh Pickles, such as Du. A family spokesman said they gathered in Tahoe to celebrate their mother’s 71st birthday. His mother, Paula Bozinovich, also died in the incident.
Josh Pickles, center, his parents, Terry Pickles and Paula Bozinovich.
(From the Kimchi family)
A powerful thunderstorm rolled on Saturday afternoon, with 10 people on a 27-foot motorboat near DL Bliss State Park in Southwest Lake Tahoe, which deteriorated rapidly on the lake. Officials and locals said that within a few minutes, the wind rose from 5-10 mph to 35-45 mph. The temperature dropped almost 20 degrees into 30 seconds, and the wave rose to 7 to 10 feet.
At some point, Josh Pickles’ ship was capsized – so was the others on the lake that afternoon. The Coast Guard and the Eldorado County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident Saturday around 3 p.m., after 10 people were reported in the water, which became dangerously cold and rough.
Initially, officials were able to rescue two people from the water taken to the hospital, but six were found dead. Over the next two days, the search and rescue team will find the bodies of the last two occupants, causing the death toll of eight.
On Tuesday, officials identified the victims as five Californians and three New Yorkers: Josh Pickles of San Francisco and his parents, Bozinovich and Terry Pickles, Redwood City, 73. Josh Pickles’ uncle, Peter Bayes, 72, of Lincoln; and other close friends of the family, Timothy O’Leary, 71, of Auburn, now 66
“We are shocked by this tragedy,” Josh Pickles’s widow, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard wrote in a statement. “There is no words to express the pain and pain of knowing we are spending happy hours on the lake. Our hearts are sent to those who have tragically died and the two survivors of this unexpected deadly storm on Lake Tahoe.”
Sugar-Carlsgaard and her husband recently welcomed a baby. Neither the 7-month-old baby or Sugar Carlsgard was on board Saturday.
Josh and Terry Pickles own the ship that they bought last year, said family spokesman Sam Singer. Singh said this was only the third time they drove the ship on the boat into the water.
Singh said Josh Kimchi and his wife have a home in the San Francisco Bay Area and Tahoe.
Doordash chief financial officer Ravi Inukonda said the company was damaged by the death of Josh Pickles.
“Josh loves his team, and it’s an inspiration for all those who have the honor of knowing him,” Inukonda said in a statement. “For nearly seven years at Doordash, he brought an infectious spirit that made those around him immeasurable. Josh is immeasurable. We miss him so much and will always carry our memories.”
Josh Pickles’ role in the company has been the head of global strategic procurement and procurement.
“Our thoughts and love are with his wife, his daughter, his family and everyone close to him,” Inukonda said. “We are working hard to support them through this extremely difficult time.”
A spokesman for the sheriff’s office said the use of life-saving vests was “too early in the investigation.” A spokesperson declined to comment on the current status of the surviving victims and said there was no evidence of the cause of death.
The lake temperature was still below 60 degrees Saturday, according to the UC Davis Tahoe Center for Environmental Research. Officials warn that if a person is exposed to this condition for a long time, water below 70 degrees is cold enough to cause hypothermia.
