Emergency crews found a Pontiac sedan slammed into a tree on South 10th Street around 12:30 this morning.

The driver, 18-year-old Zachary Gauthier remains hospitalized with undisclosed injuries.

But 16-year-old Chelsie Harding and 16-year-old Zachary Zahn died from their injuries after being airlifted to regional hospitals.  

Investigators are still trying to determine all events leading up to the crash. But they have a theory.

Says Manitowoc County Sheriff Robert Hermann, "That is a 35 mile-an-hour speed zone out there near Silver Creek Road. So it's quite a reduced speed area. There's a lot of damage to the vehicle. So speed maybe a factor."

The crash site is a short drive from Lincoln High School, where Harding and Zahn were students. The district's crisis team went into action to help students decide how best to handle their responses.

Manitowoc School Superintendent Mark Swanson tells Local Five News that some students are going home to grieve, while others are staying at school to be with friends.

Law enforcement officers hope that if any good can come out of this type of crash, it would be that young people see first hand the risks they face when they get behind the wheel.

Sheriff Hermann adds this final piece of advice. "Make sure you drive cautiously. Make sure your head is in the game when driving."