In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. 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 "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. "The most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. 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. Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. 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. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip? CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. Family photo. 2 min read June 17, 2021 - 6:27AM Esther Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. RELATED: Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. 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Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. 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. Claim says gate penetrated car of a Denver man and his new wife during a strong windstorm at Utahs Arches National Park. Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. It's likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. 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. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. Several dozen per day. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "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. The National parks Service didn't respond to a request for comment on the claim from The Sun. 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. WebEsther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. 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. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. 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. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. Example video title will go here for this video. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! She and Michaud were married in March. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. A gavel. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics. "Despite this fact, the NPS has done nothing to ensure the safety of its visitors and guests.". For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. 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. She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. She was decapitated. The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. 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 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 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. 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. 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 Arches National Park is best known for its 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. 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 was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. 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. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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 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. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. 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. Shelly Bradbury is a breaking news reporter who joined The Denver Post in November 2019. 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. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. 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. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. 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. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. 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.. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. "The trail up to Delicate Arch has reopened for use. According to CBS News, neither the U.S. government nor the Nakajjigo family disputed the facts of the claim. You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. 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. 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. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Courtesy "I had a ton of flashbacks. ", "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. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. (CCA-BY-2.0). 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. 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 The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. 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. She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. 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. No An official form of the United States government. 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. 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. Shes got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after her. DENVER (CBS4) - The family of a woman killed while visiting Arches National Park is hoping they can change the dangerous conditions that lead to her death and continue the philanthropy she inspired around the globe. Instead, the familys civil lawsuit largely focused on the amount of damages merited. The "The NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. Market data provided by Factset. Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. Its near it but not there. I'm still struggling with that," Michaud said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam 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. 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. Chang said she plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected. 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 More Videos Next up in 5 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. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. 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. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. "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.". A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. WebEsther Nakajjigo was killed at Utahs Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. Legal Statement. In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. In Colorado, she met Michaud, who had moved there from France. 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. 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. 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. 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.. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". 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. 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. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. 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. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. 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. Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. Legal Statement. WebThe family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. "It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, it's going to happen again," he said. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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. 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.". 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 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, Nakijjijo, originally from Uganda, "was a world-renowned activist, movie and TV star as well as a youth influencer," the claim says. Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. 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. 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. Market data provided by Factset. According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. 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. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. 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. Both claims ask for $15 million in damages for wrongful 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. Provided by 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. 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The young Ugandan human rights activist was decapitated by an unsecured metal gate on the periphery of Arches National Park. 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. 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. 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.