Jeremy Kauppila, 17, killed, driver Aaron Witkos, 17, seriously injured, taken to hospital, after their car left the Old Turnpike Road in Oakham, and crashed into a tree.

A Quabbin Regional High School senior died and another Quabbin senior was seriously injured when their car veered off Old Turnpike Road and struck a tree early Sunday morning.

Quabbin Regional School District Superintendent Maureen M. Marshall identified the teen who died as Jeremy Kauppila of Hubbardston, and said Aaron Witkos, 17, of Oakham, was the driver.

Mr. Kauppila, 17, was a member of the Barre high school's junior ROTC program and a player on the football team, Ms. Marshall said.

“He was very, very involved in ROTC,” Ms. Marshall said.

Fellow junior ROTC members and adult officers were at the high school today talking about Mr. Kauppila's death, and crisis management teams will be available at the school to talk with students starting Monday, Ms. Marshall said.

“It's obviously going to be a very tough week for us,” she said.

Authorities are investigating the crash with the help of the State Police Accident Reconstruction Team.

Oakham police Sgt. Kevin R. Tucker said the Oakham Fire Department was called to the accident scene at 4:22 a.m. The accident happened near Barre Road on a popular cut-through road in town.

Mr. Witkos was taken by medical helicopter to UMass Memorial Medical Center — University Campus in Worcester with serious injuries. Police do not believe the injuries are life-threatening.

“The best we can determine, the car left the roadway and hit a tree,” Sgt. Tucker said. “We're still investigating the reason why.”

Oakham and Rutland firefighters extricated both victims from the vehicle, described as a small sedan.