She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. 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 claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. 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. 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. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? The suit was filed on June 8. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". 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. 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 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. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. 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. 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 NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. 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. 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. 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. 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. Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. I'm still struggling with that," Michaud said. Listen online or download the iHeart App. 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. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The 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. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful 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. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. He told NBC that the harrowing accident has left him traumatized, and he continues to suffer from PTSD months after. 2 min read June 17, 2021 - 6:27AM Esther Several dozen per day. 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. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. 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. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. ", "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. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. "The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. NBC reported that he was flown to Moab Regional Hospital. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 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. Read more about Traffic and Travel Tips. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. The pair married in March of this year. 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. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 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 family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. 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. 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. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. Example video title will go here for this video. They married about three months prior. 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. 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. They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. Market data provided by Factset. 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. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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. A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. 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. 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 was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. 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 October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Arches National Park is best known for its Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. 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 couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. 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. We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Please enter valid email address to continue. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again," Michaud said. (CCA-BY-2.0). 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. / CBS Colorado. 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. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. 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. While growing up in Uganda, Nakajjigo used her college tuition funds to open up a nonprofit community education center in her home country. 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's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. Market data provided by Factset. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. 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. The park which has over 2000 arches that She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. 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. 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 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 Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. Courtesy Nakijjijo, originally from Uganda, "was a world-renowned activist, movie and TV star as well as a youth influencer," the claim says. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. Legal Statement. 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. Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. She and Michaud were married in March. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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. The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. 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. 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. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. 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.". 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. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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 No An official form of the United States government. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. 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. 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. "How do you measure someone like her? Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. "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. 4 hospitalized in San Pedro beach shooting, Angelino Heights plagued by street racing, residents, SoCal man convicted of rape, molestation attacks, Weekend clouds make way for sunshine by midweek, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, CA awaits key decisions from reparations task force, LAPD looking for autistic man last seen in downtown, Ducks assistant coach diagnosed with melanoma, LAPD searching for driver in fatal San Pedro hit-and-run, 1 killed amid turbulence event on business jet, Grizzlies Morant to miss Clippers, Lakers games, Festival of Whales returns to Dana Point Harbor, AlienCon attracting space enthusiasts to Pasadena, Folks near Jack Daniels facility see whiskey fungus. 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. The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". 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 "It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, it's going to happen again," he said. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. 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. Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. 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. 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.