Gates Bar-B-Q pitmaster dies in hit-and-run crash on Kansas City’s East Side
Detectives continue to look for leads in a fatal hit-and-run crash over the weekend on Kansas City’s East Side that killed a 60-year-old pitmaster for Gates Bar-B-Q, a police spokesman said Thursday.
Arthur C. Lee Sr. died early Saturday after being struck by another vehicle while he was riding a TAO Motor scooter about 2:25 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Eastwood Trafficway.
A preliminary investigation found that Lee was making a left turn onto Eastwood Trafficway on a green light when he was struck by a dark-colored vehicle traveling northwest on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
The unknown vehicle failed to stop at a red light before striking the scooter. The impact of the crash threw Lee off his scooter. The driver didn’t stop, police said.
Lee was pronounced dead at the scene, becoming Kansas City’s 15th traffic fatality of the year, compared to 11 by this time last year.
As of Thursday morning, there have been no new developments in the investigation, said Capt. Jake Becchina, a spokesman with the Kansas City Police Department.
Detectives continue to investigate the hit-and-run crash and look for witnesses and additional evidence.
Lee worked at the Gates Bar-B-Q location at 10440 E. U.S. 40 in Independence, according to media reports. Officials with Gates Bar-B-Q could not be reached for comment Thursday.
