KPFA radio host killed in hit-and-run

A board operator and co-host at a public radio station died in a rollover crash in Oakland early Saturday morning, according to the radio station.

Wesley Burton co-hosted the Sideshow Radio and After Hours music shows for KPFA, according to KPFA’s website.

He died at the scene of a crash that occurred around 2:20 a.m. Saturday on Martin Luther King Jr. Way near 59th Street, Oakland police Officer J. Moore said.

Moore said one person was trapped inside the vehicle.

Berkeley police were the first to arrive on scene and advised Oakland police the occupant was suffering from major injuries, Moore said.

Emergency personnel attempted life-saving measures, but Moore said the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Members of the “KPFA family” said in a statement they are grieving the sudden loss of Burton and called him a “kind, helpful, easy-going person and committed broadcaster.”

He leaves behind his wife, Lucretia, three children, family and friends. According to the statement:

“Wesley will be profoundly missed.”

A GoFundMe account has also been established to help Burton’s family with funeral expenses and other costs, according to the campaign page.

As of around 10:30 p.m. today, the campaign had raised more than $12,000 out of a $22,000 goal. For more information on the campaign, visit http://www.gofundme.com/wesleyburton.