Stephen Lindsay dies in fatal Lake Tahoe boat accident
Fatal Lake Tahoe boat accident death of Stephen Lindsay
Authorities have identified Stephen Lindsay, 63, of Springwater, New York, as one of eight individuals who tragically lost their lives in a boating accident on Lake Tahoe on June 21.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Lindsay was among those who perished when a boat capsized near D.L. Bliss State Park during a sudden and violent storm. Other victims included Paula Bozinovich, Terry Pickles, Joshua Pickles, Peter Bayes, Timothy O’Leary, Theresa Giullari, and James Guck.
According to reports, the vessel overturned amid powerful winds and waves reaching up to eight feet. Deputies received emergency calls around 3 p.m., and responders discovered several people in the water. Six bodies were recovered initially, with two individuals rescued and hospitalized. The remaining two victims, including Lindsay, were located during search efforts over the following two days.
Joshua Pickles, a high-ranking executive at DoorDash, was confirmed by the company as one of the deceased. His wife, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, later shared that he died alongside his parents, Terry Pickles and Paula Bozinovich, and his uncle, Peter Bayes.
In a heartfelt statement, Sugar-Carlsgaard expressed profound grief over the loss of her husband and family, saying their deaths occurred during what was supposed to be a joyful outing. She thanked the Coast Guard, local sheriff’s office, and other first responders for their dedication during the rescue and recovery efforts.
Local officials described the storm as unusually intense. Meteorologist Chris Smallcomb noted that while such systems are known in the Sierra region, the wind speeds—gusting up to 45 mph—were unexpected. South Lake Tahoe Mayor Tamara Wallace said she had never witnessed a storm of this magnitude in her nearly three decades living there.
Footage from the scene showed boats crashing into docks and each other as the storm swept across the lake. Mayor Wallace said that even with a warning system, the boat likely could not have returned to shore in time given the storm’s speed and severity.
This tragic event stands as one of the deadliest boating accidents in the region’s recent history.
