Newark was struck by a tragic event on Friday night as an explosive car crash claimed the lives of six people. Among them were two highly respected high school coaches who had made significant impacts in the sports community. Lamar McKnight, the head coach and physical education teacher at Hudson Catholic Regional High School, was just 32 years old. Brad Cunningham, an assistant coach who once played football at Rutgers University and was 41 years old, were also identified as victims in the published reports. As of Saturday, the authorities investigating the gruesome crash had not released the names of the victims. The car was traveling on Raymond Boulevard when it inexplicably took off from the Pulaski ramp and crashed into a bridge support column. The crash occurred around 10:47 p.m., as stated by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. When the first responders arrived, the car was already ablaze. Newark police informed RLS Metro Breaking News that the six individuals inside the vehicle had suffered “catastrophic burn injuries” and were pronounced dead at the scene.Grief and Tributes
As news of the Jersey City coaches’ identities spread on social media, messages of grief began to circulate. Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano expressed his sorrow on X, saying, “We are saddened to hear of an accident involving Brad Cunningham, Coach McKnight and four others last night. Brad Cunningham, a member of our first recruiting class, laid the foundation of the Rutgers football program. Our thoughts and prayers are with Brad’s family and the entire Hudson Catholic football family.” Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop also offered his condolences, stating that the two coaches had “touched countless lives through their dedication to our youth. We stand united in offering support during this difficult time.”Coaches’ Backgrounds
As a high school football and basketball player from 2008 to 2009, McKnight had played a crucial role in leading winning seasons for Lincoln High School in Jersey City. In 2017, he founded the Lamar McKnight Quarterback Academy, which has trained some of the top quarterbacks in the Northeast. Cunningham graduated from Hudson Catholic and was one of Schiano’s first recruits in 2001. After learning the news, a Hudson Catholic student, junior Amori McNeil, shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram. He said, “I want to thank you for making me a better athlete and a better man at life. Without you, I don’t know where I would be right now. All the long drives we took up to colleges, to camps and everything. You were my role model [and] someone that I looked up to and able to see my older self.”
