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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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, WebIn 2020, Ludovic Michaud was driving with his 25-year-old wife Esther Nakajjigo out of Utah's Arches National Park to get ice cream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 gate 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. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. Arches National Park: 2 people die after falling while hiking - USA Listen online or download the iHeart App. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. The young Ugandan human rights activist was decapitated by an unsecured metal gate on the periphery of Arches National Park. A gavel. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. 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. On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. 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 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. 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. Nakijjijo, originally from Uganda, "was a world-renowned activist, movie and TV star as well as a youth influencer," the claim says. 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 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 National Park Service and Arches National Park are accused of not securing the gate, which was installed to swing in the wrong direction and was being held open by a flimsy metal tab that was worn down and rounded, according to the claim. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. 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. 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 Trial begins two years after newlywed was beheaded by metal gate In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. Read more about Traffic and Travel Tips. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. "Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again," Michaud said. "The most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. Denver man files suit after wife's death at National Park - KMGH The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. 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, 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. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. Twist after newlywed decapitated by gate at national park - Yahoo! just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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 suit was filed on June 8. 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 park which has over 2000 arches that Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. Family sues after newlywed is killed by gate at Arches park The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. Shes got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after her. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. An activist's dreams 'were about to come true.' Then, a horrific 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. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. Esther Nakajjigo a human-rights advocate from Uganda who was studying at a leadership institute in Colorado was killed instantly in the June 13 incident. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. "The trail up to Delicate Arch has reopened for use. On June 13, they had gone on a hike and had a picnic. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. 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 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. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". National Park Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. 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. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. 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 Market data provided by Factset. "It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, it's going to happen again," he said. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 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. 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. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. 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. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. 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. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. ", "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. That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. "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.