By Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LIBERTY TWP. - Zachary had just fulfilled his dream of signing up for the Army, following in the steps of a favorite uncle.

His buddy, Kevin, was working in two auto-repair shops that his father owns.

But the two 17-year-olds' promising lives ended abruptly in a single-vehicle crash Thursday that remains under investigation.

"He was a bright, energetic young man with a golden future ahead of him - and all of that was cut short last night," Manager Ken Bryant said Friday at the Tylersville Square Car-X Muffler & Brake shop where Kevin Buten worked.

Buten, of Liberty Township, was driving a 1989 Nissan Pathfinder that went off Millikin Road and hit several trees Thursday afternoon. He and his passenger, Zachary P. Fitzwater-Durchholz of West Chester Township, were pronounced dead at the scene. Speed and inexperience may have been factors in the crash, Butler County Sheriff's officials said, though no report was available Friday.

Police said the vehicle went off the right side of the road, then overcorrected and went off the left side.

The pair had just left D. Russel Lee Career Technology Center, where they were juniors in the auto technology program, officials said.

"It was a very hard day for us,'' said Bill Solazzo, school spokesman. "Both students were well-liked; good, solid students.''

Buten was likely going to drop Fitzwater-Durchholz at home before reporting for work at a second Car-X location, at 4851 Princeton Glendale Road.

Fitzwater-Durchholz's stepfather, Theodore J. Honerlaw of Mason said, "Zach was a wonderful boy. He was a joy to raise, because he had such a huge heart. He would work to buy things for his brother for any reason or no reason at all."

Besides his stepfather, he leaves his father, Philip L. Durchholz of Cincinnati; his mother, Tonya G. Honerlaw of West Chester Township; three brothers, Nicholas L. Durchholz, Theodore Jacob Honerlaw and Luke Alexander Honerlaw.

Service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Webster Funeral Home, 3080 Homeward Way, Fairfield. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Courts of Praise Christian Center, 7474 Morris Road, Fairfield Township.

Buten's survivors include his parents, Greg Buten and Beth Bova; and a sister, Angela.

Friends may call at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 5720 Hamilton-Mason Road, Liberty Township, from 9 a.m. Monday until Mass of Christian burial at 11 a.m.

Memorials can be made to the automotive technology memorial scholarship fund at D. Russel Lee.

Sue Kiesewetter contributed. E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com