By: Richard L. Smith
A violent two-vehicle crash early Sunday morning claimed the life of a former New Jersey lawmaker in Newark, according to preliminary information confirmed by family and community sources.
The incident occurred just before 7:30 a.m. along Route 21 near South Street in Newark.
Multiple 911 calls reported a serious crash involving two vehicles, one of which became engulfed in flames following the impact.
Authorities say the driver of the burning vehicle was identified as Alberto “Al” Coutinho, a well-known figure in Newark’s Ironbound section.
He was rushed to University Hospital while CPR was being administered but was pronounced dead a short time later. At least one other person suffered non-fatal injuries.
The crash remains under active investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. No additional details about the second vehicle or other possible injuries have been released.
Coutinho served more than five years in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 29th Legislative District. 
According to The Star Ledger,
His tenure in Trenton came to an abrupt end in September 2013 when he announced he would not seek re-election, citing a desire to focus on family and personal matters following a heart attack earlier that year.
Days later, he resigned from office after acknowledging he was under investigation related to financial issues involving a family-run foundation.
The organization, founded by his father in 1991, played a major role in organizing Newark’s well-known Portugal Day Festival—an event that helped bring national attention to the Ironbound neighborhood and, at its height, drew hundreds of thousands of attendees.
I spent my young years of Broadcasting at Cablevision Newark broadcasting the wonderful paraded live worldwide for about 10 years in the truck.
According to The Star Ledger, court records at the time showed Coutinho faced financial difficulties, including liens and judgments tied to unpaid debts.
The foundation itself became embroiled in a dispute with the City of Newark over festival-related costs, ultimately leading to the cancellation of the long-running event.
Authorities have not yet released the official cause of the crash as the investigation continues.