Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. 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. 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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. 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. 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.. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "She's got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after A lot of people just want to continue that because that's what she would have wanted from us.". November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM 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. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against 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. All rights reserved. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. She and Michaud were married in March. He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. 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. 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. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". 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. 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. 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. The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. The park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. 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. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. 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. 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. 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 trail up to Delicate Arch has reopened for use. 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. "The NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. 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. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. 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. In opening statements Monday in Salt Lake City, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigo's family said they were seeking $140 million in damages from the government. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. Winter conditions make for slippery hiking; proceed with caution," the tweet said. He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. I'm still struggling with that," Michaud said. More Videos Next up in 5 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. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. (CCA-BY-2.0). Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. 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. You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. 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. 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. 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. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). 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. 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 Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah. She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. WebEsther 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. "Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again," Michaud said. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. / CBS Colorado. Several dozen per day. 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. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. 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 three people involved were related, Brown said. 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. She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. "The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. 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. 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 According to CBS News, neither the U.S. government nor the Nakajjigo family disputed the facts of the claim. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. The gate barely missed Michaud. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. 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. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. A gavel. 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. 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. Its near it but not there. 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 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. "The most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. 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. 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. RELATED: Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. Ludovic Michaud says that his wife, 25-year-old Esther Nakajjigo, was decapitated when a metal gate swung into their 2020 Chevy Malibu as they were leaving the park on June 13, 2020, according to the claim. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. However, she eventually became the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda, which emphasized womens empowerment, educational attainment, and equitable access to health care. The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet based in Denver that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state our community can better understand itself. 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.