Eric S. Kennedy, 21, of Silver City and 23-year-old Salvador Puentes of Albuquerque, both forestry and wildlife sciences students at Western New Mexico University, were killed around 2 this morning, when the Toyota Tacoma truck they were in ran a stop sign at the intersection of U.S. 180 and Alabama Street, the Silver City Sun-News is reporting.

Their truck, which was also carrying 21-year-old Michael B. Epperson of Pinos Altos, was broadsided by a 2011 Volkswagen station wagon driven by Ian W. Good, 21, of Silver City, the Sun-News reported.

"As a result of the crash, the Toyota truck overturned, ejecting both deceased individuals, and came to rest in the westbound lanes (of U.S. 180) on its top facing east next to the curb," Silver City police Capt. Terry Fortenberry told the Sun-News.

Kennedy was pronounced dead at the scene and Puentes died  a short time later at the Gila Regional Medical Center, Fortenberry said.

Both Epperson and Good were treated and released from the hospital, the Sun-News reported.

Fortenberry said the cause of the accident is still being investigated and that alcohol tests are being conducted, the Sun-News said.

"It is a possible cause," said Fortenberry of possible alcohol involvement. "But we cannot prove it at this time. Our accident investigation team is in the process of, or has completed, interviews with the survivors already."

"We grieve over the loss of our students and on behalf of the entire WNMU community, I express both profound sadness over their death and deepest sympathy to their family and friends," WNMU President John E. Counts said in a prepared statement.

Counts ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on campus through next week in honor of Kennedy and Puentes, and counseling services were available to WNMU students through the school's Academic Support Services, the paper said.

Kennedy was a defensive end on the WNMU football team before  a back injury ended his college football career, and both accident victims were well-known to the college and Silver City High School communities, the Sun-News reported.

 Lt. Lance Horton, a six-year veteran of the Silver City Fire Department and one of the paramedics who responded to the scene, said, "It was one of the worst accidents I have seen."