R.I.P.: Paul Palmer, Former San Diego Radio Broadcaster

Paul Palmer

The 76-year-old man who died in a wrong-way crash in Del Mar earlier this week has been identified

Longtime radio station executive Paul Palmer, who also served a dozen years at the helm of a nonprofit geared toward guiding kids, died in a auto accident near San Diegos last weekend.

Palmer was the former chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County, part of the nation’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network. During Palmer’s 12-year tenure, the local chapter increased the number of children mentored in the region from 230 to 1,700, according to a 2014 column in the Union-Tribune.

Before holding the top job at Big Brothers Big Sisters between 2002 and 2014, Palmer spent more than two decades as general manager of KFMB radio.

According to police reports, Palmer was driving his Honda CRV north and swerved into the southbound lanes. The Honda sideswiped a Toyota RAV4, then slammed head-on into a Toyota van.

Paramedics started life-saving measures, but Palmer died at the scene, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office.  The others involved suffered minor injuries.

Sheriff’s traffic deputies said alcohol and drugs were not suspected to be factors in the collision.

Paul's robust radio career included on-air personality, account executive, and sales manager. Eventually, Paul ended up in San Diego as the VP and General Manager of KFMB AM and FM radio stations. For 22 years he lead these 2 major radio properties to a top-ranked position in both ratings and revenue.