He told NBC that the harrowing accident has left him traumatized, and he continues to suffer from PTSD months after. 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.. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. The Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. death Winter conditions make for slippery hiking; proceed with caution," the tweet said. WebUSA TODAY 0:00 0:49 Two people died Friday while hiking in Arches National Park in Utah. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. "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. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year,' the Denver Post reported in a 2020 article detailing Nakajjigos death. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Several dozen per day. 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. Gate In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. GRAND COUNTY, Utah A 27-year-old Denver man filed a wrongful death claim against the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) on Oct. 22 after it says his wife was decapitated by a vehicle gate at Arches National Park in Grand County, Utah. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Ludovic Michaud was driving around the scenic red rock landscapes of Utah's Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when something unthinkable happened: A metal gate whipped around, sliced through the passenger door of his car and decapitated his new 25-year-old wife, Esther Nakajjigo. Both claims ask for $15 million in damages for wrongful death. 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. 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. Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. 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. The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. Denver newlyweds trip to Arches National Park ends with wifes She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. 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 end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Video She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. 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. 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. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. 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, 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. Arches National Park accident: Esther Nakajjigo's family awarded Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. Read more about Traffic and Travel Tips. Family photo. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. "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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The gate barely missed Michaud. 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. According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. 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 Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. 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. 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. I'm still struggling with that," Michaud said. 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. A metal gate at Arches National Park killed a woman. Its now the Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches 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 Credit: Handout. 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. 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 Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. Newlywed killed by swinging gate at Arches National Park She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. 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. They married about three months prior. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. No An official form of the United States government. The gate is just before the visitors center as drivers leave the park, near Moab, Utah. WebEsther Nakajjigo was killed at Utahs Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good.". Esther Nakajjigo beheaded by gate at Utahs Arches National Park FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Denver woman killed during visit to Arches National Park A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. Trial to begin for human rights activist killed by gate in Arches "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'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. While growing up in Uganda, Nakajjigo used her college tuition funds to open up a nonprofit community education center in her home country. NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. 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. Arches National Park is best known for its In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. 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 Chang said she plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected. She described Nakajjigo as a prominent women's rights activist who rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women on issues such as education and healthcare. The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. 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. 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. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. 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. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988.

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