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. The gate is just before the visitors center as drivers leave the park, near Moab, Utah. 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. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year,' the Denver Post reported in a 2020 article detailing Nakajjigos death. Legal Statement. She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. Nakajjigo and Michaud, a French-born tech solutions architect, met on a dating app last year and tied the knot at a courthouse ceremony in March. WebDENVER The family of a Denver woman, who was killed when the entrance gate at Arches National Park swung into the passenger compartment of a rental car and decapitated her, Last month, Nakajjigos husband, Ludovic Michaud, and her parents filed a $270 million wrongful-death claim a precursor to a formal lawsuit alleging that the gate should have been secured to prevent it from swinging into the road. We are unapologetic in our dedication to informing the public and unafraid to call out those who are more focused on profits than peoples safety. On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. Esther Nakajjigo a human-rights advocate from Uganda who was studying at a leadership institute in Colorado was killed instantly in the June 13 incident. In 2018, she participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship program at Drexel University, and she was also the recipient of the 2018 Luff Peace Fellowship at Watson Institute. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. This story has been updated to correct Michauds age. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. WebEsther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. By his verdict, Judge Bruce Jenkins has shown the world how the American justice system works to hold its own government accountable and greatly values all lives, including that of Esther Nakajjigo, a remarkable young woman from Uganda, attorney Randi McGinn said in a statement announcing the award. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. 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. For want of an $8.00 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good; a young woman influencer who was destined to become our societys future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates or Oprah Winfrey, according to the claim, which is a precursor to a formal lawsuit. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. 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. According to CBS News, neither the U.S. government nor the Nakajjigo family disputed the facts of the claim. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. 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. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. WebThe United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist who was killed in a 2020 accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 2 min read June 17, 2021 - 6:27AM Esther As Nakajjigo and her husband were leaving Arches National Park, a strong gust of wind swung the gate with sufficient force to slice through the passenger door of the couples vehicle, decapitating Nakajjigo as her husband sat in the drivers seat. A YOUNG activist hailed as a "future Princess Diana or Oprah" for her work was decapitated in a gruesome accident while she and her husband were hiking in Arches National Park. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. 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 In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. WebIn 2020, Ludovic Michaud was driving with his 25-year-old wife Esther Nakajjigo out of Utah's Arches National Park to get ice cream on June 13 when a metal gate swung into the car We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was 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. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. In Colorado, she met Michaud, who had moved there from France. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. Passionate about international politics and world affairs, hes an avid traveler with a keen interest in the connections between South Asia and the United States. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. 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. 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 NBC reported that he was flown to Moab Regional Hospital. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip? 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. More Videos Next up in 5 On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. Michaud says he wants to keep her legacy going, but he also wants the gates at National Parks and forests across the U.S. to be safe for visitors. She was decapitated. 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. Produced by the Discovery Channel, this video highlights the geological marvels and cultural history of both Arches and Canyonlands, with footage of the spectacular and challenging red rock wilderness surrounding them. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. 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. (CCA-BY-2.0). She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. "The trail up to Delicate Arch has reopened for use. Courtesy This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Opening statements previewed how the trial will hinge less on varying accounts of the accident and instead focus on Nakajiigo's biography and earning potential, which is used to calculate a portion of the damages. 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. It's likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. "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. In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. The National parks Service didn't respond to a request for comment on the claim from The Sun. A gavel. 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. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good.". We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. 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. The gate barely missed Michaud. The three people involved were related, Brown said. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Chang said she plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected. Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. 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Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. 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. 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. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. 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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 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. Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. For want of an $8.00 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good; a young woman influencer who was destined to become our societys future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates or Oprah Winfrey, according to the claim, which is a precursor to a formal lawsuit. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. 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"I was a couple of inches from dying, but I didnt, and right now I have a mission: Its to make sure what shes done continues," said Michaud. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Deborah Chang, the Los Angeles-based attorney representing Michaud, claimed there was nothing he could do to swerve out of the way of the gate that killed his wife and missed him by a hair. According to CBS News, Esther Essie Nakajjigo was killed after a metal gate at Arches sliced through the passenger side of the vehicle driven by her newlywed husband. 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. 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 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. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. 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 claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. "The NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. 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. Claim says gate penetrated car of a Denver man and his new wife during a strong windstorm at Utahs Arches National Park. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). The 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 National Park Service did not respond to an email seeking comment, and the media relations voicemail inbox was full and could not accept messages. Market data provided by Factset. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Arches National Park, which has more than 2,000 natural stone arches,closed Delicate Arch on Friday for a about six hours before it reopened, the parksaid on Twitter. The suit was filed on June 8. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. WebThe family of a womens rights activist who was killed in a gruesome accident at a national park is suing a US agency over her tragic death. 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. After requesting that the family leave the courtroom, she recounted the moment Michaud realized his wife had been killed, when he inhaled the copper-tinged smell of blood, turned to figure out what it was and saw she was dead. He told NBC that the harrowing accident has left him traumatized, and he continues to suffer from PTSD months after. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. WebDENVER -- Ludovic Michaud has notified the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service that he intends to file a wrongful death lawsuit because of a crash at the entrance NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. 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. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. ", "Such metal pipe gates have been known to move when left unsecured, swing to the traveled part of the roadways, and penetrate into vehicles," the claim argues. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". Its near it but not there. "I had a ton of flashbacks. 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. "The most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. 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. All rights reserved. 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. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. RELATED: Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. 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. United States attorneys do not dispute that park officials shouldered blame, but argued the amount the family should be awarded is far less and called into questions the ways in which the damages being sought were calculated. 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He said he didn't deny Nakajjigo was an extraordinary person, but argued it was difficult to speculate what kind of work she would have gone on to do. 7 CHILDREN INJURED IN NEW YORK BUS CRASH THAT DAMAGED HOME, The family's lawsuit claims when the national parks reopened in April 2020 after being shuttered due to COVID-19, rangers at the national park in Utah didn't secure the gate in place, which in effect "turned a metal pipe into a spear that went straight through the side of a car, decapitating and killing Esther Nakajjigo.". 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 gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. 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. 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. 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 young Ugandan human rights activist was decapitated by an unsecured metal gate on the periphery of Arches National Park. Several dozen per day. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. 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. 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. Listen online or download the iHeart App. No An official form of the United States government. 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. The tragic accident is now the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit Michaud and Nakajjigo's family are pursuing, in which they argue that the U.S. Park Service was negligent and did not maintain the gates at the entrances and exits to the parks, leading to Nakajjigo's death.