Two local women, teen die at Squaw Valley

Two young Yuba County women and a 17-year-old Loma Rica girl who were found dead Tuesday in a car at Squaw Valley USA were working at the resort, according to friends and family.

A resort security guard found Lacy Louann Sutton, 22, Sara Alice McCullah, 21 and the girl shortly after 1 p.m. in McCullah's older model car, which was parked in a lot near the resort.

The girl was Olivia Kloncz, the daughter of Kenneth and Deedee Kloncz.

A preliminary investigation by the Placer County Sheriff's Office indicated carbon monoxide poisoning caused the deaths. The car's tailpipe may have been covered by snow from Monday's storm.

All three victims were staying in a hostel, friends and a family member said. But they apparently had been in the car all night, according to the Sheriff's Office.

McCullah lived in Olivehurst with her mother, Cindy Walczak, and worked full-time as a certified nursing assistant. She took a leave of absence to work at Squaw Valley, said Tyisha Abram, 26, a fellow nurse at Marysville Nursing and Rehabilitation.

Abram said she learned of the deaths mid-afternoon from Walczak. Families of all three victims were en route to Squaw Valley later in the day and could not be reached for comment. "I'm shocked and kind of mad at (McCullah)," Abram said through tears. "She was kind of clumsy."

McCullah's old white car, apparently a Buick, was "a real piece of (expletive)," she said with a laugh.

When a car's tailpipe is blocked by snow, carbon monoxide can leak from cracks in the exhaust system and through the floorboard, the Sheriff's Office warned.

"Travlers to snow country should never sleep in their vehicle with the engine running," Lt. Allan Carter said.

Abram described McCullah as "full of life. Nothing could hold her back. She was a very free spirit."

Patients at the home loved her, she said.

"Whenever anyone had a problem, she'd be the one who could fix it. She was wonderful with the patients," said Abram.

"She had the most bubbly personality, and such a distinct laugh," Abram said.

Sarah Binkier, 23, of Yuba City, said she was best friends with Sutton, who worked the morning shift at the Marysville Quiznos restaurant before leaving for Squaw Valley.

Binkier said she was also friends with McCullah and Kloncz. Sutton's younger sister, Tracy, called about 3:30 p.m. with the news that all three had died, she said.

"This is really hard. We only found out about two hours ago," she said.

Learning of the deaths was "pretty unreal," she said. "We're all going through phases of disbelief. They were all such life-loving people."

Sutton had a job selling lift tickets at the resort, while McCullah worked in a locker rental office, said Binkier.

Sutton was "one of my best friends, one of my home girls," and McCullah was "one of the sweetest, a sweetheart of all time," Binkier said.

According to a Nov. 10 Appeal-Democart profile of McCullah, she was one of six children who Walczak raised by herself.

"She put food on the table and always made sure we were well taken care of," McCullah told a reporter.

McCullah had a dog named Missy and said, "I want to be a pig farmer and have lots of children and a huge family and a lot of dogs and cows and chickens and goats."

Sutton and McCullah attended South Lindhurt High School together.

Deedee Kloncz said her daughter was working in the resort's uniform department, where she sometimes got to use her sewing skills.

Olivia had just returned from Australia and New Zealand, where she spent a month as an ambassador with the People to People program. She was able to make the trip by saving $7,100 from her job at a Checkers restaurant in Oroville, her mother said.

Olivia, who would have turned 18 in February, graduated from the Camptonville Core Charter School in Marysville at age 15. She qualified to begin earning credits at Yuba College at 13, Deedee Kloncz said.

Perhaps a bit self-conscious about her height, Olivia used to describe herself as "5-foot-12 and three-quarters," said her mother.

Olivia, the youngest of six children, was "highly intelligent and beautiful. We're extremely proud of her," Kloncz said.

Contact Appeal-Democrat re-porter Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.