An NIU sophomore and a DeKalb resident were killed in a car accident Saturday morning in a southwest Chicago suburb after the car struck a guardrail and spun several times in the air.

Douglas Peterson, 20, 846 Stevenson Towers South, and Paul Oosterbaan, 21, 809 Kimberly Drive Apt. 7, both were pronounced dead at 5:50 a.m. Saturday at South Suburban Hospital in Hazelcrest, Ill., a hospital spokesman said.

Crestwood District State Police said the two were traveling northbound on I-43, about one-fifth of a mile south of Oak Park Avenue in unincorporated Tinley Park. The road curves to the left, but it appeared the car continued traveling north when it struck a guardrail at about 55 mph, a witness told police. The speed limit on the road decreases from 55 to 45 mph just before the curve, police said.

The car, a 1987 Mitsubishi Starion, rolled over numerous times and traveled airborne before landing about 700 to 1,000 feet from the guardrail, police said. Both occupants landed about 40 to 70 feet from the car, police said.

Police estimate the accident occurred about 3:45 a.m. Saturday. As of late Sunday afternoon, police could not confirm who was driving the car or if Oosterbaan was an NIU student.

There was no evidence of drugs or alcohol in the vehicle. Police said toxicology tests are done only at the request of the victims’ families. If such tests are requested, results would not be available for at least a week, police said.

Peterson was a 1984 graduate of Lisle Senior High School where he played varsity baseball. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. today at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, Illinois 43 and Short Street, Lisle. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 820 Division St., Lisle.

Oosterbaan’s family could not be reached for visitation and funeral service information. He is listed as a Park Forest resident.