Victims identified in Lake Tahoe boat capsize tragedy during family birthday celebration
The victims of the Lake Tahoe boat capsizing have been formally identified by the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office Coroner's Division.
Eight people lost their lives in the tragedy, including four people from the same family who were celebrating a birthday.
Five of those killed were from northern California, and three were from upstate New York.
Paula Bozinovich, 71, of Redwood City, California, was on a birthday trip with her husband, Terry Pickles, 73; their son, Joshua Pickles, 37, of San Francisco, and an uncle, Peter Bayes, 72, of Lincoln, California. All four lost their lives.
The other victims were friends on the boat and have been identified as Timothy O'Leary, 71, from Auburn, California; Theresa Giullari, 66, and James Guck, 69, both from Honeoye, New York; and Stephen Lindsay, 63, from Springwater, New York.
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that it extends its deepest heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were lost and all those who have been affected by this tragic event.
A statement from Joshua Pickles' widow, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, provided spokesperson Sam Singer, reads: 'We are devastated by this tragedy. 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.'
It continues: 'Our hearts go out to those who tragically lost their lives and the two survivors of this unexpected and deadly storm on Lake Tahoe."
Two people were rescued immediately after the boat flipped over. Their identities and conditions have not been released.
Ten people were on board the 27-foot (8-meter) gold Chris-Craft vessel when it capsized Saturday afternoon near D.L. Bliss State Park on the lake's southwest edge as the storm whipped up high waves, U.S. Coast Guard officials said.
Six bodies were recovered later Saturday, a seventh was found Sunday evening, and the eighth was located Monday, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office.
The intensity of the thunderstorm surprised even forecasters, who had predicted rain but nothing like the squall that lashed the southern part of the lake around 3 p.m., said meteorologist Matthew Chyba with the National Weather Service office in Reno, Nevada. Winds topped 35 mph (56 kph) and waves swelled up more than eight feet (2.5 meters).
'We weren't expecting it to be so strong,' Chyba said Monday. He said temperatures in the area were far below normal for this time of year, which could have contributed to the unstable air mass.
Drowning and other accidental deaths have occurred in recent years on the lake, but boating accidents with numerous fatalities are rare.
The South Lake Tahoe Police Department told KCRA-TV in 2022 that there are an average of six deaths on the lake each summer, though there were a record 15 fatalities in 2021.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Diddy's team slapped down by judge over bizarre Iran defense as monster trial nears verdict
Sean ' Diddy ' Combs' legal team was slapped down by the judge presiding over his trial because of their alleged attempt to use the escalating conflict with Iran in their upcoming closing argument. As the disgraced hip-hop mogul's bombshell sex trafficking trial nears a verdict, his team of attorneys reportedly planned on bringing up the escalating tensions between the US and Iran in court in a bid to relate it to his case, TMZ reported Monday. Sources told the outlet the 55-year-old's defense 'may invoke the recent conflict' in their closing argument, and specifically go after the Homeland Security Investigators who raided his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles in March. They were allegedly planning to say that the agents 'instigated' their client on his baby oil and lubricant use in the bedroom when they should really focus more on the conflict with Iran, the source noted. On Monday and day 28 of Combs' trial, Iran launched at least 10 missiles at US military bases in Qatar after Donald Trump bombed Iran's nuclear facilities Saturday. In response to reports of the defense's bizarre plan, prosecutor Maurene Comey told U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian 'I would object' if they chose to bring up politics, the 'propriety of this prosecution' and the use of government resources on Thursday - when closing arguments are set to begin. In reference to the possibility that the defense might try to relate Iran or any other current political affairs to Combs' trial, his lead attorney Marc Agnifilo said: 'Nothing to worry about, judge.' Combs' defense lasted just 23 minutes Tuesday after he officially confirmed he will not be testifying at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse in New York City. The three-time Grammy winner denies racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Not only did Combs announce he will not testify, but he also took a moment to schmooze the judge as he did so. Agnifilo told the court they had 'discussed at length' the prospect of him giving evidence. Combs stood up in court as Judge Subramanian asked him: 'Mr Combs, how are you feeling today?' Speaking in a clear and confident voice, Combs said: 'I'm doing great. I wanted to tell you thank you, you're doing an excellent job.' Combs denied he had taken drugs in the last 48 hours and confirmed his mind was clear, adding he had spoken to his lawyers 'thoroughly' about testifying. As the judge tried to confirm Combs had made the decision by himself, Combs cut in and said: 'That is solely my decision. It's my decision with my lawyers'. Combs appeared at ease with his decision as he was seen smiling and hugging his lawyers afterward. He spoke briefly to a friend in the public gallery and appeared optimistic, saying: 'We'll see what happens.' The prosecution brought 34 witnesses to the stand over the span of the trial and portrayed Combs as the head of a 'criminal enterprise' which covered up his 'freak offs' with ex-girlfriends, where they were allegedly forced to have sex with male escorts while he watched. While his team wrapped up their defense quickly, prosecutors spent more than six weeks laying out their case against the embattled rapper. Earlier in the day, the final witness for the prosecution was Joseph Cerciello, a Special Agent with the US Department of Homeland Security Investigations. He walked the jury through summary charts showing text messages, hotel and flight reservations and financial records related to freak offs. Combs' lawyer Teny Geragos attempted to show that the charts were not exhaustive and missed out evidence that painted a different picture. The jury heard messages sent by Jane, one of Combs' ex-girlfriends who testified she was forced into freak offs out of fear he would stop paying her rent, from September 2021. In the messages Combs wrote: 'That s*** was so f****** sexy the other night damn.' The prosecution brought 34 witnesses to the stand over the span of the trial and portrayed Combs as the head of a 'criminal enterprise' which covered up his 'freak offs' with ex-girlfriends, where they were allegedly forced to have sex with male escorts while he watched Jane replied: 'I haven't stopped thinking about it… Did you love it baby?' Combs responded: 'Loved it' as Jane replied with a heart emoji. In her testimony Jane broke down in tears while claiming that Combs threatened to release the videos of the freak offs. But in texts from May 2023 she appeared to complain that he didn't record their sessions. Jane wrote: 'The last time at the London (hotel) when I was super hot and you were (multiple emojis). 'We didn't film, you forgot it, you promised you wouldn't' forget.' The jury was also shown more freak off videos - the fourth set they have seen. During this time, Combs was seen leaning over in his seat, nearly standing up, as the final video played. He was then spotted writing notes after looking over to the table in front of him where the clip played on the monitor. Jurors were told to turn down the volume on their headphones to stop the audio being picked up by the courtroom microphones, which the judge asked to be muted. The jury was dismissed Tuesday and are due back in court Thursday. Closing arguments are anticipated to take place both Thursday and Friday from 9am to 5pm. A charging conference, a meeting between the judge and the lawyers - usually held outside the presence of the jury - is taking place Wednesday starting at noon. During this time, they will discuss and finalize the jury instructions - the rules of law the jury must follow when deciding the case. Both sides will be able to propose instructions and object to others before the judge makes final decisions on what will be given to the jury. The racketeering and sex trafficking charges against Combs, who is currently locked up at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, carry a minimum sentence of 15 years each. Transportation to engage in prostitution carries a maximum of 10 years behind bars.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Massive data breach sees 15m Americans' personal details stolen from major insurer
A massive cyberattack has exposed the sensitive personal details of Americans after hackers breached the system of Aflac. Aflac, one of the largest insurance company in the US, has over 50 million customers worldwide and around 15m in America. The breach identified on June 12 was carried out by a yet unknown hacking group that accessed files containing Social Security numbers, health claims and other private data. A 11 class-action lawsuits have been already filed against the company, accusing it of failing to protect user data. Aflac confirmed the breach in a statement filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, noting that the incident affected customers, beneficiaries, employees and agents. The company has not shared how many people were affected. 'Our business remains operational, and our systems were not affected by ransomware,' said Aflac in a press release. 'This attack, like many insurance companies are currently experiencing, was caused by a sophisticated cybercrime group.' Aflac, one of the largest insurance company in the US has over 50 million customers worldwide. The breach was contained within hours, according to Aflac, but the company admitted the scope of attack remains under investigation. The hackers performed the attack by manipulating individuals and sector-specific targeting into performing actions or divulging confidential information. Unlike malware or brute-force attacks, these tactics rely on psychological manipulation rather than technical vulnerabilities. This form of attack involves tricking employees, often help desk workers into revealing passwords or granting access, bypassing traditional security systems like firewalls. Alfac has hired a third party cybersecurity experts to review the breach and assess the damage. So far, the company says the data potentially accessed includes names, claims data, Social Security numbers, and health-related information. Aflac said it is offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to affected individuals. Alfac has hired a third party cybersecurity experts to review the breach and assess the damage. Aflac reported the data potentially accessed includes names, claims data, Social Security numbers, and health-related information. A dedicated call center was launched on June 20 to provide support and more details to those impacted by the incident. The Aflac hack followed a coordinated series of attacks on insurers beginning June 7, starting with Erie Insurance and Philadelphia Insurance Companies. The FBI has not commented publicly on the breach, but cybersecurity analysts suspect the attack was carried out by a group known as Scattered Spider. This group operates under a larger cybercriminal network known as The Com, according to Cyberscoop. The group, active since 2022, is known for attacking US companies in waves using identity-based tactics such as impersonating employees. John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google's Mandiant Intelligence, said the insurance industry is currently facing a surge in targeted intrusions. He noted the tactics used in the Aflac breach mirror recent attacks on Erie Indemnity and Philadelphia Insurance Companies. 'This was part of a cybercrime campaign against the insurance industry,' Aflac said in its press release. 'We regret that this incident occurred,' the company added, emphasizing its commitment to protecting customer data going forward. Security experts warn that breaches like this can have long term consequences for victims. With Social Security numbers and medical records exposed, individuals may at risk for fraud, scams or even medical identity theft. Steve Cagle, CEO of Clearwater, a healthcare cybersecurity firm, said Scattered Spider is known for bypassing even multi-factor authentication by tricking help desk personnel. 'This group's specialty is identity-based tactics,' he noted. Health and insurance records are among the most valuable data types on the black market, experts say. Scattered Spider has been linked to past attacks on tech companies, casinos, and retailers in both the US and UK. The group reportedly uses threats of violence and impersonation tactics to gain access to secure systems. Cyberattacks across the globe rose 44 percent last year, according to a January report by Check Point Research. The rise is attributed partly to advanced social engineering and the use of generative AI in phishing and impersonation attempts. Aflac has joined other breached companies in notifying regulators and offering affected customers support and monitoring tools. As investigations continue, more insurers are expected to come forward with disclosures of similar intrusions.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Pete Hegseth launches criminal investigation into damaging 'top secret' leak of Iran nuclear strike damage
The Pentagon has launched a criminal probe into a leaked top-secret military intelligence report alleging that the U.S. strikes in Iran were underwhelming. The leaked report from the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) reportedly states that the U.S. strikes only delayed Iran from getting a nuclear weapon by a couple of months. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the FBI has taken the lead on conducting the probe after CNN, the New York Times and other outlets disclosed the report's findings. 'We're doing a leak investigation with the FBI right now, because this information is for internal purposes, battle damage assessments, and CNN and others are trying to spin it to make the president look bad,' he said during a NATO meeting alongside Trump and other top officials on Wednesday. The Pentagon chief defended the president like an attack dog, claiming the Fordow nuclear enrichment site was 'obliterated.' Flanked by Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Hegseth also mentioned how the classified document was only a preliminary assessment. 'It was a top secret report, it was preliminary, it was low confidence,' the Pentagon secretary explained. 'Given the 30,000 pounds of explosives and capability of those munitions, it was devastation underneath Fordow, and the amount of munitions, six per location, any assessment that tells you something otherwise is speculating with other motives.' He added that the preliminary DIA battle damage assessment indicated 'moderate to severe' damage was done to the facility. The administration, Hegseth continued, believes it was 'far more likely severe and obliterated.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was sitting next to Hegseth, argued the leakers had an agenda. 'This is what a leaker is telling you the intelligence says,' he said of the report. 'That's the game these people play. They read it and then they go out and characterize it the way they want it characterized.' He added it was 'against the law' to leak the information and told the media the leakers 'characterize it for you in a way that's absolutely false.' Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin similarly said Wednesday that "it is still early to assess the results of the operation.' Though he added, 'I believe we have delivered a significant hit to the nuclear program, and I can also say that we have delayed it by several years.' Seven B-2 bombers flew from the U.S. to Iran on Saturday to carry out what Pentagon officials have said is the most sophisticated stealth airstrike in decades. Each B-2 carried two 30,000 pound bunker buster bombs aimed at Fordow's nuclear labs hundreds of feet underground. The 14 bunker busters dropped on Fordow weighed a total of nearly 420,000 pounds combined, Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell has said. 'Fake news, CNN and MSDNC, all of these terrible people, you know, they have no credibility,' Trump slammed the outlets reporting on the intel leak. 'The document said it could be very severe damage,' Trump said at Wednesday's NATO meeting. 'But they didn't take that.'
