The lives of two promising Harvard undergraduates, Deshaun R. Hill'99 and Harvard C. Nabrit Stephens'99, ended suddenly on July 3 in a traffic accident in Monterey County, Calif. The Adams House rising juniors were 20 and 19 respectively.

Hill was driving a 1997 Ford Mustang at around 5:30 p.m. when he lost control of the vehicle and crossed into the opposing lane, according to a California Highway Patrol report. Moments later, a 1991 Plymouth Voyager broadsided the Ford, causing it to overturn and then right itself.

Ultimately, four cars were involved in the resulting accident; Hill and Stephens, in the front passenger seat of the Ford, suffered the only fatal injuries. Brenton Guy, a sophomore computer science and engineering student at the University of California at Davis who was riding in the rear right passenger seat of the vehicle sustained major injuries.

None of the three young men were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, the report indicated.

According to the victims' parents, the two friends were on their way to Los Angeles for the Fourth of July weekend. Stephens, working for Microsoft this summer, took a flight from Seattle to California to meet up with Hill, who was employed by Intel.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III said the young men made "substantial contributions to the College and will be greatly missed."