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A weekend tragedy on our roads. Two young men are dead — and another is in serious condition in hospital after a violent crash in rural Lincoln — early Sunday morning. All three were high school friends — out enjoying a bush party that night.

Eighteen-year old Erik Sypkes was sitting in the passenger seat of an Audi driven by his friend Josh. In the back seat was eighteen-year old Jake Hamm.

Josh was driving his 1999 Audi up the hill on Moyer near Cherry in Lincoln when he lost control. The skid marks show the car crossed the roadway and slammed into a clump of trees. Erik and Josh were ejected. Josh was pronounced dead at the scene. Erik died Sunday afternoon in hospital.

“I’m shocked and saddened by it. He was good kid. He was young.”

Jake Hamm was wearing his seatbelt. He stayed in the vehicle but did suffer a number of broken bones.

Jake called 911 following the crash but he had no idea where he was. Police officers had to drive up and down the rural roads in Lincoln before they found the crashed Audi.

The young men had been a bush party just around the corner Saturday night into Sunday morning. Nobody we talked to knows why they were driving up the Moyer Hill just before 4am. Jake’s family was at the hospital. Erik’s parents were too distraught to speak to us.

Friends of the young men had been driving by the scene all day.

Carl Buys is a family friend: “Just to see what happened. Just to see the accident.”

All three had graduated from Eden High School in St. Catharines. The flag there is flying at half staff.

Erik Sypkes had been working for an excavating firm in Wellandport. Jake Hamm goes to Niagara College. Erik’s funeral will be held at Providence Christian Church on Friday.

Speed is a factor in this crash. The driver may have been trying to catch air while going up that hill. People we talked to said Josh and Erik were not wearing their seat belts. And if the two had been wearing their seat belts, they might have survived.