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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, In Colorado, she met Michaud, who had moved there from France. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. Webcams Chang said she plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected. On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. She and Michaud were married in March. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. 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 The National parks Service didn't respond to a request for comment on the claim from The Sun. Market data provided by Factset. 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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. "Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again," Michaud said. He noted she had recently worked as a host at a restaurant around the time of her death and didn't have a Bachelor's degree. A metal gate at Arches National Park killed a woman. Its now the Denver newlyweds trip to Arches National Park ends with wifes We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. 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. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. The park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to The three people involved were related, Brown said. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. Family of Woman Decapitated by Swinging Gate at State Park If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. Trial begins Ugandan woman's death in Arches National Park We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. Michaud's filing clears the path for a full lawsuit, which is expected to be served within the coming months. 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 park which has over 2000 arches that NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. 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. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. An activist's dreams 'were about to come true.' Then, a horrific 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. 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. Video 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. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. 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. "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.". He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. 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. Family of Ugandan philanthropist decapitated by traffic gate in Listen online or download the iHeart App. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. 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. 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. 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. Nakajjigo grew up in Uganda and at 17 was recognized by the United Nations for her work for women shed donated her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center that provided free reproductive health services to young women. 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. 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! While growing up in Uganda, Nakajjigo used her college tuition funds to open up a nonprofit community education center in her home country. 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. I'm still struggling with that," Michaud said. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. All rights reserved. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. 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. CBS News Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. The pair married in March of this year. She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. 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. 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. FOX 13 Investigates: Grisly decapitation of ambassador at Arches 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 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 family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. 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. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! The show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. 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. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good.". 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. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. 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 Arches National Park is best known for its 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. / CBS Colorado. Arches National Park accident: Esther Nakajjigo's family awarded 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. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam Music, radio and podcasts, all free. In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. 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. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "How do you measure someone like her? Widower Struggles With Loss After Wife Decapitated By Gate In 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, 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. Legal Statement. "The National Park Service has, in face, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous conditions," says the claim. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. 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. Market data provided by Factset. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. Esther Nakajjigo beheaded by gate at Utahs Arches National Park 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 a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. "Despite this fact, the NPS has done nothing to ensure the safety of its visitors and guests.". 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. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. "It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, it's going to happen again," he said. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". A gavel. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. 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, On June 13, they had gone on a hike and had a picnic. 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.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. 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 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 NPS faces wrongful death claim after newlywed decapitated by 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. Arches National 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. Newlywed killed by swinging gate at Arches National Park 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. "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. According to CBS News, neither the U.S. government nor the Nakajjigo family disputed the facts of the claim. Shes got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after her. 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 moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. 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. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. 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. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. 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Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was All rights reserved. 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. Both claims ask for $15 million in damages for wrongful death. "The most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. 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. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. gate
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