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. 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. WebEsther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. 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. This story has been updated to correct Michauds age. He told NBC that the harrowing accident has left him traumatized, and he continues to suffer from PTSD months after. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. WebEsther Nakajjigo was killed at Utahs Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. "The most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! / CBS Colorado. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was 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. Market data provided by Factset. The young Ugandan human rights activist was decapitated by an unsecured metal gate on the periphery of Arches National Park. 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. Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. WebThe family of a womens rights activist who was killed in a gruesome accident at a national park is suing a US agency over her tragic death. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. Several dozen per day. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. Michaud's filing clears the path for a full lawsuit, which is expected to be served within the coming months. Arches National Park is best known for its 2 injured, including officer, in Aurora crash, 2 hurt, including officer, in rollover crash, Documentary featuring local family coping with loss after suicide aims to open up conversations, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, Mandela Washington Fellowship program at Drexel University, Luff Peace Fellowship at Watson Institute, Search of Aurora house in case of missing teen Lashaya Stine continues, Head brewer at Denver Beer Co. dies in climbing accident. A gavel. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. 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. Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo Michaud, 27, were driving out of the park during a camping trip on June 13 when strong winds blew the metal gate into the side of their car and penetrated it 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. 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. However, she eventually became the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda, which emphasized womens empowerment, educational attainment, and equitable access to health care. 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. Courtesy 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. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. 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 However, in his 10-page decision, Jenkins observed that the case was somewhat unusual, insofar as neither the victim nor the plaintiffs were U.S. citizens. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. 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. 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. 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 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. The park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam The three people involved were related, Brown said. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. 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. "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. 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. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. All rights reserved. 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 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. 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. Market data provided by Factset. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. She and Michaud were married in March. She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics. 2 min read June 17, 2021 - 6:27AM Esther Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. 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 didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com The park which has over 2000 arches that Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. 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. 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. 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. 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. On June 13, they had gone on a hike and had a picnic. 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. 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. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. Read more about Traffic and Travel Tips. She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. 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. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. 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. 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 NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. Instead, the familys civil lawsuit largely focused on the amount of damages merited. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. 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. The suit was filed on June 8. "Despite this fact, the NPS has done nothing to ensure the safety of its visitors and guests.". 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. While growing up in Uganda, Nakajjigo used her college tuition funds to open up a nonprofit community education center in her home country. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 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 More Videos Next up in 5 or redistributed. NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. 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. 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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. 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'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.". Claim says gate penetrated car of a Denver man and his new wife during a strong windstorm at Utahs Arches National Park. 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 webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. "Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again," Michaud said. 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. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip? 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. 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. Shes got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after her. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Fiery tanker crash kills driver, burns Maryland homes, Trapped Californians rescued from snow, helped by neighbors, Palo Alto: Woman killed in single-vehicle motorcycle crash, Dear Abby: I love my wife but I think I better get divorced, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Harriette Cole: She has gone too far with the remote work option, Bobcat seen using Highway 17 wildlife crossing hours after it opens, Authorities: Man bombed PG&E transformers in South San Jose, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Dear Abby: I was always in the back seat, one way or another, William backed Harry and Meghan's eviction, prefers brother never 'set foot in England again', Map in Murdaugh murder case: 5 deaths and a mysterious shooting, Ask Amy: I didn't ask for what I wanted, and I'm sad they couldn't guess, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. Example video title will go here for this video. According to CBS News, neither the U.S. government nor the Nakajjigo family disputed the facts of the claim. The gate barely missed Michaud. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. 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. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. 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 The pair married in March of this year. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. 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. 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. 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. The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". 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. No An official form of the United States government. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Legal Reader is devoted to protecting consumers. 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. 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. They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. 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. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). 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. "How do you measure someone like her? 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.. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah.