Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. WebEsther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. Video 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 sheriffs report. WebThis incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. They married about three months prior. 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. / CBS Colorado. 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. A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. 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. 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.". 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. 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. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. 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. 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. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. 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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 Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo 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. "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. 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. 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. 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. According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. 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. 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. 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. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. 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. A gavel. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. Legal Statement. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. Shelly Bradbury is a breaking news reporter who joined The Denver Post in November 2019. 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. All rights reserved. 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. Web6 Esther Nakajjigo was a Ugandan human rights activist and newlywed wife when the 25-year-old was killed at Arches National Park in 2020, decapitated by an unsecured gate that is She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. 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. She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. The three people involved were related, Brown said. 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 For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong The gate barely missed Michaud. Market data provided by Factset. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, 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. 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. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. 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All rights reserved. "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," the claim says. 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 One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. 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. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. 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. 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. 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. Nakajjigo, originally from Kampala, Uganda, used her university tuition money to start a nonprofit organization that provided free reproductive health care to girls and young women when she was just 17. "I had a ton of flashbacks. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. 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. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. 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. 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. This story has been updated to correct Michauds age. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". 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. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. 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. The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. 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. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling She was named the country's ambassador for women and girls soon after, and passionately advocated to reduce teen pregnancy and increase educational opportunities for Ugandan women. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. "The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. The show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. Listen online or download the iHeart App. Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. NBC reported that he was flown to Moab Regional Hospital. Ludovic Michaud was driving around the scenic red rock landscapes of Utah's Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when something unthinkable happened: A metal gate whipped around, sliced through the passenger door of his car and decapitated his new 25-year-old wife, Esther Nakajjigo. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip? Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. WebUSA TODAY 0:00 0:49 Two people died Friday while hiking in Arches National Park in Utah. 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. 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. She was decapitated. 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. 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. 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 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.. 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. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. 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. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 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. 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.. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. 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. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Claim says gate penetrated car of a Denver man and his new wife during a strong windstorm at Utahs Arches National Park. 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. 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. Legal Reader is devoted to protecting consumers. 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, Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics. 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. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. Family photo. 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. 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 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 Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Lawmakers targeting hospital facility fees, (720) 263-2338 Call, text, Signal or WhatsApp, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. Nakijjijo, originally from Uganda, "was a world-renowned activist, movie and TV star as well as a youth influencer," the claim says. Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos.. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against 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 On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. Chang said she plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected. 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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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. All rights reserved. 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. "How do you measure someone like her? In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. By the time Nakajjigo left Uganda to pursue a fully-funded leadership course in Denver, she had raised enough money to build health care facilities in her hometown. While growing up in Uganda, Nakajjigo used her college tuition funds to open up a nonprofit community education center in her home country. 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.