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. The pair married in March of this year. Both claims ask for $15 million in damages for wrongful death. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. 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. Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. 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 Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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. 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. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. "I had a ton of flashbacks. The gate is just before the visitors center as drivers leave the park, near Moab, Utah. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. (CCA-BY-2.0). Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "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. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. Nakijjijo, originally from Uganda, "was a world-renowned activist, movie and TV star as well as a youth influencer," the claim says. 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. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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 Colorado, she met Michaud, who had moved there from France. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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 best known for its The park which has over 2000 arches that 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. 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. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. or redistributed. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. "Despite this fact, the NPS has done nothing to ensure the safety of its visitors and guests.". 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 Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. "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.". "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. 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. "The NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. 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. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. 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. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. The A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. 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 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. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com 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. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics. 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. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. 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. 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. Chang has filed a $270 million claim 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. Provided by FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. 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. 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. 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 park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to 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. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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. 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. ", "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. The suit was filed on June 8. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. All rights reserved. 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. Michaud, who lived with his Ugandan wife in Denver, Colorado, wasn't injured in the accident, but he told the news station he was completely covered in his wife's blood. 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. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. 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, Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. Shelly Bradbury is a breaking news reporter who joined The Denver Post in November 2019. The National parks Service didn't respond to a request for comment on the claim from The Sun. 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. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. Instead, the familys civil lawsuit largely focused on the amount of damages merited. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. 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. 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. 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. 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. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. 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. 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.". Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. 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.. 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.. Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. Family photo. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. 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. That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. / CBS Colorado. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. 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. He told NBC that the harrowing accident has left him traumatized, and he continues to suffer from PTSD months after. All rights reserved. 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. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. It's likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. 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 is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. 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. "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. "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. 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. Claim says gate penetrated car of a Denver man and his new wife during a strong windstorm at Utahs Arches National Park. The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. 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. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. 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 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. WebThis incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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 is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. I'm still struggling with that," Michaud said. Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip? 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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.