Teen killed in Torrington crash

Torrington, Conn (WTNH) - State police say a Winsted teenager has died after crashing into a bridge abutment on Route 8 in Torrington Wednesday afternoon.

Jerry Dale Cox III, 16,  was driving home from Oliver Wolcott Technical High School around 12:30pm when the accident happened.  The accident report says Cox was traveling up Route 8 when his pickup truck fishtailed and hit a concrete pillar head-on. State police say they started CPR and called for an ambulance, but he was pronounced dead at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital.

Just days before Christmas, friends and family are coping with the loss of their loved one.

"He went by Dale, but I called him 'Meatball', and he was a really sweet kid, and he cared a lot about everyone, and he really meant the world to so many people especially me and his family, we are all going to miss him," girlfriend Nichole Dubois said.

His friends say he always wore a smile, was quick with a one liner and was very smart.

"No matter what you were doing he was always the one to cheer you up. In math class, I would always be sad, because I hate math, and he would come up to me and say smile, he was like the nicest kid," friend Chelsea Tokarz said.

"I am devastated for the parents, and the family because it changes everything. I mean one instance your life is changes, and you see how fragile life is," said Dora Ceshak of Torrington.

While Thursday is only a half-day kicking off the Christmas holiday, there will be grief counselors on-hand all day to make sure students have an adult to talk to. A memorial page has been set up on Facebook.