Lansing police said there is nothing at this time to make them suspect alcohol was a factor in the accident, but friends of Barton say both he and Rumrill, 19, were drinking the night of the crash.

“They were both drinking — definitely heavily enough — a half gallon between the two of them,” said Chris Bender, a physiology junior, who was friends with both victims and Barton’s roommate.

Officials have not released who was driving the vehicle.

“There was nothing at the scene to make us think that alcohol was related,” Lansing police Lt. Noel Garcia said. “A much further in-depth report is needed to find out if that is the case.”

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, and police are waiting on blood tests and toxicology reports.

As police continue to look into the crash, the families of both victims are dealing with its effects.

Rumrill’s mother, Deb Ziegler, said she wants people to stop speculating about what caused the crash.

The family did not wish to elaborate on Rumrill’s situation.

Kathleen Barton said her son was a charming jokester, always showing the lighter side of something serious.

“He was funny, he loved to joke,” she said. “He was a closet full of confidence.”

Barton also said her son’s personality wasn’t the only thing notable about him.

“He was always dressed for the occasion. Even at a semiformal, he had his necktie on,” she said.

Matt and Chris Bender, twins and roommates of Joe Barton, spent the last nine years as best friends with the 20-year-old.

“He’s probably the most respectable guy of anyone I ever knew,” said Matt Bender, a physiology junior. “He’s willing to give a chance to anybody.”

On Saturday, friends and family gathered in the Barton family’s backyard in Saline, Mich., to celebrate Joe Barton’s life.

“It was beautiful. We had way over 250 people show up,” Chris Bender said. “We had 250 chairs, and there were a lot of people standing.”