Joel Woodworth and Anthony Polito were identified as the two victims of the early morning car crash on Feb. 5 on Finn Hill Road.

Both had attended school in North Kitsap.

Woodworth, 18, was enrolled in the Parent Assisted Learning program during the 2010-11 school year and was a former Breidablik Elementary School student, district Communications Director Robyn Chastain said.

Polito, 18, was a student at North Kitsap High School last year, but stopped attending this year, Chastain said. Polito was a former student of Breidablik Elementary and Poulsbo Middle School.

Counseling has been made available to students.

“Both of these young men have siblings and friends that attend North Kitsap High School and we will work with our counselors and administration to be sure that we respond to the situation with both sensitivity and care as we attend to out students’ emotional needs,” read a statement from the school district. “We are also in contact with their families to offer our condolences during this sad time.”

The two were killed early Saturday when their Ford SUV crashed into a utility pole and burned in the 2600 block of NW Finn Hill Road.

The crash was reported at 2:03 a.m. Poulsbo police arrived at 2:08 a.m., medics and city firefighters at 2:12 a.m., and sheriff’s patrol deputies at 2:16 a.m., Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Wilson said.

Upon arrival, emergency crews found the vehicle in a drainage ditch, fully engulfed by fire, up against a wood utility pole, Wilson said. When the fire was extinguished, deputies and firefighters found two persons deceased inside the SUV.

A preliminary analysis by traffic investigators indicates that the Ford SUV was traveling westbound on NW Finn Hill Road when it left the paved roadway and went onto the shoulder of the westbound lane of travel. The SUV then went back onto the roadway, crossed both lanes of the road and rotated counterclockwise, Wilson said. The vehicle’s momentum carried it off the paved portion of the eastbound lane of travel and onto the soft shoulder, where it struck several mailboxes.

The SUV stopped abruptly when it struck the utility pole and caught fire. The fire spread up the utility pole. Poulsbo firefighters reported the fire was extinguished at 2:21 a.m.

Excessive vehicle speed appears to be a causing factor in the crash, Wilson said. It was not known whether the occupants were wearing seatbelts. No other vehicles or persons were believed to have been involved.

Investigators ask that anyone with information about this crash contact Deputy Rick Cowell, sheriff’s traffic unit, 337-4634.

In an email, the district stated the following as possible grieving processes for students:

– Claim not to be affected
– Ask a lot of questions
– Act agitated and angry
– Try abnormally hard to be good
– Withdraw
– Have frightful dreams