Oliver Charles, of Deer Park, Dymond Saunders, of West Babylon, killed in Southern State crash, police say

An 18-year-old driver and a 17-year-old passenger died and three others were injured early Thursday after their car rolled over and crashed on the Southern State Parkway in Islip Terrace, state police said.

Troopers responding to a call about the crash at 1:59 a.m. on the eastbound parkway at Exit 43A, the ramp to Carleton Avenue, arrived to find a tan 2010 Toyota Prius overturned in a wooded area on the shoulder, New York State Police said in a news release.

Oliver Charles,18, of Deer Park, and one passenger, Dymond A. Saunders, 17, of West Babylon, were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, according to the police.

The Prius' three additional passengers were taken to hospitals and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The identities and ages of the three passengers were not immediately available.

At their home Thursday night, the Saunders family declined to comment to a Newsday reporter.

Ty Bridges, who lives across the street, said he was shocked to hear of the teenagers' deaths. He said he saw Saunders get into a Prius about 9 p.m. Wednesday.

“She had a little purse,” he recalled. “She was a nice kid. It’s just sad, 17, I couldn’t believe it.”

Bridges, 49, said the 17-year-old was “excited that she got a car.” He pointed to a red Buick parked across the street.

On the rear driver’s side window, flanked by a pair of smiley and winky faces, someone drew a diamond shape, followed by “’s,” and the words “don’t touch.”

The investigation into the crash is ongoing and the police asked witnesses or anyone else with information regarding the crash to call State Police Troop L at 631-756-3300.

Last year was Long Island’s deadliest for young people behind the wheel in the 11 years state data is readily available — with 32 fatal crashes involving young drivers, defined as 16 to 20 years old — according to a Newsday story earlier this month that included statistics compiled by the Albany-based Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research. The previous high was 29 fatal crashes in 2015, with the average annual number at 22.45.

New York also set a statewide record high for fatal crashes among young drivers, at 122, according to preliminary statistics that  go back to 2013. The previous record, 120, was in 2013.