Two people, one a Moorpark College student, were killed in a traffic accident March 17 in Simi Valley.

Moorpark student Oliver Stokes, 22, and friend Jessica Zarate, 24, were in a Honda Civic traveling northbound on Sinaloa Road when a 17-year-old driver heading eastbound on Royal Avenue ran a red light and struck the Civic at 5:14 p.m., according to Lt. Joseph May of the Simi Valley Police Department.

The 17-year-old is a female Simi Valley High School student who was driving a Lincoln Navigator at the time of the accident. The investigation is currently ongoing and she has not been cited as of publication.

Zarate was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:19 p.m. and Stokes was transferred to Simi Valley Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at 6:43 p.m., according to Chief Deputy Medical Examiner James Baroni.

Investigations are still being made to see if either driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Oliver Stokes had been accepted to California State University, Northridge to pursue a degree in psychology, according to oliverstokes.com, a site created in memory of the deceased student.

A similar site has been set up for Zarate, jessicezarate.com. At both sites, friends and family are encouraged to submit photos of the two and leave comments remembering better times.

May says that the only way to avoid an accident like this is to never become too comfortable while on the road.

“Everybody needs to take personal responsibility for their own driving, and ensure they are following the rules of the roadway and doing everything they can to make the road safer for themselves and others,” said May.

A scholarship fund has been set up in honor of Oliver Stokes. Donations may be sent through www.oliverstokes.com.