Theresa Giullari dies in fatal Lake Tahoe boat accident
Fatal Lake Tahoe boat accident death of Theresa Giullari
Theresa Giullari, 66, of Honeoye, New York, was confirmed as one of the eight victims in the devastating Lake Tahoe boating accident on June 21 by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Coroner.
The incident occurred near D.L. Bliss State Park when a sudden storm capsized a boat carrying ten passengers. Gales and waves up to eight feet overwhelmed the vessel, causing multiple fatalities.
First responders managed to recover six bodies shortly after the accident. Theresa Giullari and one other victim were found during rescue teams’ ongoing search late Sunday and into Monday.
Among those who perished were Paula Bozinovich, Terry Pickles, Joshua Pickles, Peter Bayes, James Guck, Stephen Lindsay, and Timothy O’Leary. Two individuals survived and were taken to local hospitals.
According to South Lake Tahoe Mayor Tamara Wallace, the ferocity of the storm was unprecedented in her nearly three-decade residency. Meteorologist Chris Smallcomb from the National Weather Service in Reno stated the storm brought unexpected winds reaching 45 mph.
Storm footage captured boats smashing into docks and each other amid the sudden tempest. Officials said such a rapid and forceful weather shift left little time for those aboard to seek refuge.
The tragedy ranks among the worst boating disasters in Lake Tahoe in recent memory, turning what was planned as a joyful lakeside gathering into a heartbreaking loss.
