The two young men killed early Sunday in a town of Clayton auto accident were ordered to leave an underage drinking party in Fishers Landing a short time before their deaths, state police have been told.

An unidentified woman who sent them and others away from her home may face "criminal culpability" for knowingly endangering their lives, an investigator said Monday.

Jordan M. Houghton, 17, of County Route 54, Chaumont, and Maxwell Z. Zeigler, 20, Swart Avenue, Clayton, were found dead at 1:55 a.m. Sunday on Route 11, where their vehicle struck trees and became airborne. (See obituaries, B4.)

Autopsies were to be conducted Monday afternoon by Dr. Samuel A. Livingstone, Jefferson County medical examiner.

Four of the victims' friends who gathered in the rain Monday morning at the accident scene spoke briefly about the beer party.

A male who declined to give his name said Mr. Zeigler, whom he called Zach, was "like a brother" to him. The youth said Mr. Zeigler returned to the north country about two weeks ago from North Carolina, where he was selling magazines.

He said he was with the two victims at a house party at Fishers Landing before the accident. The victims, who had just met each other Saturday, arrived at the party intoxicated and consumed more alcohol there, the youth said.

He said an adult was present at various times during the party, although the youths who attended brought their own alcohol. He said the party broke up when the adult returned home early Sunday and told all of the youths to leave. He has provided state police a deposition of the night's events.

Senior Investigator Michael C. Pastuf confirmed that several statements have been taken regarding the Fishers Landing party, and also confirmed the scenario described by the youth is among allegations being investigated.

The youth and Marisa C. Doney, 18, a senior at Thousand Islands Central School, both said the accident would not have happened if alcohol was not involved, and they strongly encouraged other youths not to drink and drive or get into a vehicle with someone who has been drinking.

"Just be safe," Miss Doney said. "Get a DD (designated driver.) Don't drive drunk."

The friends said they are planning a fundraiser to help pay Mr. Zeigler's funeral expenses. The event will be held at the Knights of Columbus hall in Clayton, although no date has been set.

"It's good to see that everybody cares," Miss Doney said. "Hopefully, it will get better every day."

Miss Doney said about 50 youths came together Sunday to talk about the accident. She said the loss of a friend because of drunken driving has become too frequent an occurrence for students at the school.

"Every couple of years, we lose somebody," she said. "It just happens. It's so awful."

She spoke of Daniel O.J. Ekpe, a 17-year-old Cape Vincent youth who was killed by a drunken driver in August 2004 on Route 12E. The other driver, a 53-year-old woman from Arizona, also was killed. An autopsy showed the woman's blood alcohol content was 0.11 percent, which is above the state's minimum legal level of 0.08 percent.

Mr. Houghton had formerly attended the school. Thousand Islands Superintendent John E. Slattery said the school is not yet investigating the possible participation of T.I. students at the party. If there were any students there who must abide by a behavior code in connection with extracurricular activities, they could face discipline, he said.

Mr. Slattery said he is hoping for an arrest.

"Any time that somebody dies in an accident, it is a tragedy," he said. "But the fact that it is preventable, that makes it all the more painful. I hope there are serious consequences for whoever may have been responsible for this."

In a related development in the investigation, state police had found evidence near the fatality scene that a GMC Sierra pickup had been involved in an accident. Police disclosed Monday that the motorist has been identified, and that his minor accident occurred Thursday morning.