Friends, Family Grieve Loss Of Arlington High School Baseball Player
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ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Friends and family are grieving the loss of an Arlington high school student and baseball player who was killed in a single-vehicle accident.
As a pitcher for Arlington High School's baseball team, 18-year-old Clayton Winkles was a popular student looking forward to wrapping up his senior year.
Family friend Walker Johnson couldn't believe it when he got the news that Winkles crashed his car while driving home.
Johnson believes Winkles fell asleep at the wheel.
"He had a long day. He started the day with a bass fishing tournament and I think he hung out with friends, and then he was just headed home," said Johnson.
Police say the teen was the only one in his car when he crossed into the opposite lanes and crashed into a tree.
Arlington ISD made counselors available to students before honoring Winkles with a memorial of flowers and his number 11 on the school's baseball mound.
Johnson and members of Winkles's church then brought young friends together to comfort each other.
"That sort of loss is heartbreaking, but when you get to see something like this as a product of that it kind of makes the sting a little easier to take," said Johnson.
A spokesperson for Arlington ISD said counselors will be back on campus when school opens to help students cope with the loss.
