"For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good.". She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo Michauds attorneys also said the federal government was aware of the dangers, citing a 1980 accident in which a man was impaled by an unsecured gate as he rode in the back of a pickup in Californias Stanislaus National Forest. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. WebThe family of Ugandan philanthropist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated by a traffic gate in front of her husband in Arches National Park in Utah, has been awarded $10.5m. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was Suspect arrested after 6 stabbed in downtown L.A. 3 arrested for nearly $1 million in stolen student, Carjacking suspect shot in wild chase in L.A. County, Newport Beach home dangling after cliffside collapse, Over $38M stolen from low-income SoCal families, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The pair married in March of this year. Legal Statement. / CBS Colorado. DENVER (CBS4) - The family of a woman killed while visiting Arches National Park is hoping they can change the dangerous conditions that lead to her death and continue the philanthropy she inspired around the globe. The newlyweds were driving during a camping trip on June 13, when a strong gust of wind blew an unsecured metal gate that sliced through the side of their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. She and Michaud were married in March. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Employees knew or should have known that winds strong enough to carve stone are certainly strong enough to blow an unrestrained metal pipe gate into the path of an oncoming vehicle, Chang wrote in the claim. McGinn said if her life hadn't been cut short that Nakajjigo's trajectory suggested she would have gone on to become a non-profit CEO who could eventually have netted an annual income in the hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Several dozen per day. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Michaud, who lived with his Ugandan wife in Denver, Colorado, wasn't injured in the accident, but he told the news station he was completely covered in his wife's blood. WebThey said claims by the family's lawyers that Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time of her death, was on track to be a nonprofit CEO shortly were too speculative to be used as a basis for The United Nations Population Fund gave her a Woman Achiever Award when she was 17, and she was named Ugandas Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! WebUSA TODAY 0:00 0:49 Two people died Friday while hiking in Arches National Park in Utah. In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo Michaud, 27, were driving out of the park during a camping trip on June 13 when strong winds blew the metal gate into the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter, according to the administrative claim, which was filed in October. Both claims ask for $15 million in damages for wrongful death. They said claims by the familys lawyers that Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time of her death, was on track to be a non-profit CEO shortly were too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. The gate barely missed Michaud. "The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo Michaud, 26, were driving to get ice cream during a camping trip June 13 when a metal gate blew closed in strong winds and sliced through the side of their car like a hot knife through butter, according to the administrative claim, which was filed in October. Listen online or download the iHeart App. WebVideo of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was in the front passenger seat as they drove toward the gate at about the same speed as other vehicles, according to a Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. WebAccording to the claim, 25-year-old Esther Nakajjigo was decapitated while sitting in the passenger seat of a car that was exiting Arches National Park. Nakajjigo was born in Kampala, Uganda, and used her university tuition money to start a nonprofit community health care center when she was 17, providing free reproductive health services to girls and young women, according to a biography included in the claim. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. The park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to They married about three months prior. Employees knew or should have known that winds strong enough to carve stone are certainly strong enough to blow an unrestrained metal pipe gate into the path of an oncoming vehicle, wrote Chang, who plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected.. Market data provided by Factset. On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. The claim also argues that NPS regularly uses gates constructed "out of metal pipes with spear-like sharp ends," and that Arches National Park had "a set of these metal pipe gates with lance-like sharp ends at the entrance/exit of the park. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. This story has been updated to correct Michauds age. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com The humanitarian had traveled to the US to further her studies and was awarded with the Luff Peace Fellowship by the University of Boulder in Colorado. "Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again," Michaud said. In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". The National Park Service has, in fact, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous condition for its park invitees, the claim reads, noting three other instances since 1988 in which people in cars were killed by such gates. Example video title will go here for this video. Michaud's filing clears the path for a full lawsuit, which is expected to be served within the coming months. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. or redistributed. The National Park Service and Arches National Park are accused of not securing the gate, which was installed to swing in the wrong direction and was being held open by a flimsy metal tab that was worn down and rounded, according to the claim. Its near it but not there. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. According to the claim, 25-year-old Esther Nakajjigo was decapitated while sitting in the passenger seat of a car that was exiting Arches National Park. Michauds attorneys also said the federal government was aware of the dangers, citing a 1980 accident in which a man was impaled by an unsecured gate as he rode in the back of a pickup in Californias Stanislaus National Forest. "I had a ton of flashbacks. WebSALT LAKE CITY Ludovic Michaud, of Denver, was driving around the scenic red rock landscapes of Utah's Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when something This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. GRAND COUNTY, Utah A 27-year-old Denver man filed a wrongful death claim against the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) on Oct. 22 after it says his wife was decapitated by a vehicle gate at Arches National Park in Grand County, Utah. He told NBC that the harrowing accident has left him traumatized, and he continues to suffer from PTSD months after. All rights reserved. He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. Nakajjigo, who grew up in Uganda, had been recognized since she was a teenager for her work promoting health services and education for young women and girls. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM The United States government will pay more than $10 million to the family of a Ugandan human rights activist who was decapitated in a 2020 accident at Arches National Park in Utah. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. The lawsuit, adds CBS, observed that the activists death could have been prevented if Arches National Park had simply purchased an $8 padlock for the unsecured gate. Chang said she plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected. While growing up in Uganda, Nakajjigo used her college tuition funds to open up a nonprofit community education center in her home country. Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling into the bowl area near Delicate Arch. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. DENVER (AP) The family of a womens rights activist from Uganda has filed a more than $270 million wrongful death and personal injury claim against the National Park Service after she was decapitated by an unsecured gate at Utahs Arches National Park. Provided by She and Michaud were married in March, and the two traveled to Arches to celebrate the one-year anniversary of when they first met on a dating app. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was on a trip to the Utah park with her husband of three months when the gate swung across the road and struck their car on June 13, 2020. However, in his 10-page decision, Jenkins observed that the case was somewhat unusual, insofar as neither the victim nor the plaintiffs were U.S. citizens. The couple planned to throw a big wedding in Uganda once the coronavirus pandemic - instead, Michaud is now in mourning and hopes that his claim will save others from experiencing a similar pain. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. She was decapitated. Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. Esther Nakajjigo died on June 13 after a metal gate swung into a car she and her husband were in and sliced het head off Credit: Handout. (CCA-BY-2.0). The National Park Service did not respond to an email seeking comment, and the media relations voicemail inbox was full and could not accept messages. Nakajjigo gained national attention in Uganda and created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to the claim. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. "The NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. While the Nakajjigo family had initially sought more in compensatory damages, their attorneys celebrated the judgment, saying that it isby farthe largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. "The trail up to Delicate Arch has reopened for use. It's known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. WebThis incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. RELATED: Search of Aurora house in case of missing teen Lashaya Stine continues, RELATED: Head brewer at Denver Beer Co. dies in climbing accident, SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Local stories from 9NEWS. There was less than a second between when the gate started to move and when it struck the car and killed Nakajjigo, according to the report. WebHuman rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020, when a traffic control gate blew into her rental car at Arches National Park in the US state of Utah. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. The suit was filed on June 8. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. The gate is just before the visitors center as drivers leave the park, near Moab, Utah. A newlywed couples road trip to Arches National Park in Utah ended in tragedy when a metal gate at the park exit swung across the road and decapitated the 25-year-old woman as she rode in a car. By Thomas Peipert, Associated Press The family of a womens rights activist from Uganda has filed a more than $270 million wrongful death and personal injury claim against the National Park Service after she was decapitated by an unsecured gate at Utahs Arches National Park. WebWidower Struggles With Loss After Wife Decapitated By Gate In Arches National Park 1,777,542 views Nov 12, 2020 30K Dislike Save CBS Colorado 98.1K subscribers Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. The family of a womens rights activist from Uganda has filed a more than $270 million wrongful death and personal injury claim against the National Park Service after she was decapitated by an unsecured gate at Utahs Arches National Park. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics. 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Nakajjigo worked on fundraising to open a hospital in an underserved part of Kampala, Uganda's capital, became a philanthropic celebrity and immigrated to the United States for a fellowship at the Boulder, Colorado-based Watson Institute for emerging leaders. 2 min read June 17, 2021 - 6:27AM Esther Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling Please enter valid email address to continue. A gavel. WebEsther Essie Nakajjigo was 25 years old when an unsecured gate inside Arches National Park swung open and impaled the vehicle she was a passenger in, killing her. Her husband, Ludovic Michaud, and her parents in October filed a $270 million wrongful-death claim a precursor to the formal lawsuit alleging that the gate should have been secured to prevent it from swinging into the road. The family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. Read more about Traffic and Travel Tips. Market data provided by Factset. Newlywed killed by swinging gate at Arches, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Bay Area weather: After thunderstorms and hail, snow could be on the way this weekend, Newlywed killed by swinging gate at Arches National Park, 1 killed when business jet encounters severe turbulence, Bay Area honeymooners say snorkel boat abandoned them off Maui coast, At least 26 killed in fiery train crash in Greece, If it was your child, when would you give up? Mother searches for 5-year-old son swept away in January floods, Online fundraiser emerges for Brentwood father who died while kayaking. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. Elon Musk Wins Funding Secured Shareholder Lawsuit, Blog vs YouTube Over Other Websites: How to Choose, Behind the Story of Ghostbed vs. Purple Mattress Lawsuit, Investigation Reveals Goodyears Dunlop D402 Tires Have Caused Dozens of Motorcycle Accidents, Amputees Third Attempt at Holding Medical Personnel Responsible Pays Off. Winter conditions make for slippery hiking; proceed with caution," the tweet said. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. The United Nations Population Fund gave her a Woman Achiever Award when she was 17, and she was named Ugandas Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony. I'm still struggling with that," Michaud said. Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. WebThe family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. WebLudovic Michaud and his new wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were driving around Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when a metal gate whipped around, sliced through the Nakijjijo, originally from Uganda, "was a world-renowned activist, movie and TV star as well as a youth influencer," the claim says. He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. Instead, the familys civil lawsuit largely focused on the amount of damages merited. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. RELATED: Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Courtesy Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Bay Area weather: After thunderstorms and hail, snow could be on the way this weekend, Family sues after newlywed is killed by swinging gate at Arches National Park, 1 killed when business jet encounters severe turbulence, Bay Area honeymooners say snorkel boat abandoned them off Maui coast, At least 26 killed in fiery train crash in Greece, If it was your child, when would you give up? Mother searches for 5-year-old son swept away in January floods, Online fundraiser emerges for Brentwood father who died while kayaking. The couple was on their way to get ice cream when "the end of the lance-like gate pierced the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter," according to the claim, which was obtained by NBC News. "I don't know how I could stand to see another thing like that happen, and I just want to make sure we do whatever we can to avoid, to save another life. The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Attorney Deborah Chang, who filed the claim on behalf of Michaud, as well as Nakajjigos parents, wrote that the National Park Service has for years used entrance and exit gates made of metal poles with spear-like sharp ends, and they were known to swing into roadways when left unsecured. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. In an email to The Associated Press, National Park Service spokeswoman Vanessa Lacayo expressed sympathy for Nakajjigos family, friends and those whose lives she touched but did not address the wrongful death claim. All rights reserved. Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong Lindsay Clancy's murder of 3 kids shows cruel trick psychosis plays, Train derailment in Springfield, Ohio as residents ordered to shelter in place, Rape survivor 'sobbed seeing Gabby Petito bodycam vid after same cop did nothing', Mom 'stabs 3 of her kids to death and wounds 2 others in unsupervised visit', 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, A 25-year-old activist was beheaded in a freak accident while enjoying a trip to Arches National Park in Utah, Esther Nakajjigo died on June 13 after a metal gate swung into a car she and her husband were in and sliced het head off. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. Legal Reader is devoted to protecting consumers. 2 injured, including officer, in Aurora crash, 2 hurt, including officer, in rollover crash, Documentary featuring local family coping with loss after suicide aims to open up conversations, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, Mandela Washington Fellowship program at Drexel University, Luff Peace Fellowship at Watson Institute, Search of Aurora house in case of missing teen Lashaya Stine continues, Head brewer at Denver Beer Co. dies in climbing accident. Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". Attorneys representing the victims family asked the court to award an estimated $140 million, whereas the U.S. government argued that $3.5 million would be more appropriate and comparable to similar awards in similar claims. Michaud's claim alleges that if the gate had been properly installed or an $8 padlock had been placed to secure it from swinging, the world wouldn't have lost "a young woman influencer destined to become our society's future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates, or Oprah Winfrey. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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Park staff told investigators the gate was usually left unsecured, and that typically the gates own weight kept it in place, so it was not locked in place by any other means. In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, tragically died on June 13 after a metal gate swung into the car she and her 26-year-old husband Ludovic Michaud were driving as they exited the parking lot of the Utah landmark. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. According to CBS News, neither the U.S. government nor the Nakajjigo family disputed the facts of the claim. The show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. Decapitated human rights activists family wins $10 million lawsuit after accident at Utah park, Denver newlyweds trip to Arches National Park ends with wifes death, Family awarded $10.5 million for newlywed decapitated by metal gate at Arches National Park in Utah. She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Denver woman Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud, were visiting Arches National Park in mid-June when a freak accident left Nakajjigo dead.
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