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. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. 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. 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. future Oprah or Princess Diana We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to 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. 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. Market data provided by Factset. Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. 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. Trial begins over death of Ugandan activist who was decapitated by Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. "How do you measure someone like 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. It's likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. "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. 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. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. 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. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. "The most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. gate 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. The show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. All rights reserved. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. 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. The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. 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. Trial begins for woman decapitated at Arches National Park Esther 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Market data provided by Factset. 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. 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 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. Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. 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. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. WebEsther Nakajjigo was killed at Utahs Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. 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. 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. 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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 park which has over 2000 arches that The gate barely missed Michaud. Arches National Arches National Park accident: Esther Nakajjigo's family awarded Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. 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. 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. 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. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah. 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. 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. Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. Listen online or download the iHeart App. 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. Family photo. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. / CBS Colorado. 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. Claim says gate penetrated car of a Denver man and his new wife during a strong windstorm at Utahs Arches National Park. She described Nakajjigo as a prominent women's rights activist who rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women on issues such as education and healthcare. 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. or redistributed. Nakijjijo, originally from Uganda, "was a world-renowned activist, movie and TV star as well as a youth influencer," the claim says. A metal gate at Arches National Park killed a woman. Its now the Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. death She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. She was decapitated. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com 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. 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. 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. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. Legal Statement. Several dozen per day. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. 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. 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. 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. Trial begins two years after newlywed was beheaded by metal gate Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. "The trail up to Delicate Arch has reopened for use. National Park 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. The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. WebDenver 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 Join the conversation! 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. 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. 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. Read more about Traffic and Travel Tips. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. All rights reserved. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. I'm still struggling with that," Michaud said. 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. In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. 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. 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. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. 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 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. Denver woman killed during visit to Arches National Park NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. 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. 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.. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was Family sues after newlywed is killed by gate at Arches park We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Family of Woman Decapitated by Swinging Gate at State Park ", "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. While growing up in Uganda, Nakajjigo used her college tuition funds to open up a nonprofit community education center in her home country.