arches national park gate death video
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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. 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. This story has been updated to correct Michauds age. 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. 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. 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. WebEsther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? "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. 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. We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. She and Michaud were married in March. "The NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Market data provided by Factset. All rights reserved. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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 She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. 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. They married about three months prior. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. 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 is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. 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. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. 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. 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. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. Family photo. 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. Shelly Bradbury is a breaking news reporter who joined The Denver Post in November 2019. "Despite this fact, the NPS has done nothing to ensure the safety of its visitors and guests.". 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. WebDenver 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 Join the conversation! ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. 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, Legal Reader is devoted to protecting consumers. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. 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. 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. More Videos Next up in 5 This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. 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. The show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. 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.. 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. 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. Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. 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. The pair married in March of this year. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. 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. Suspect arrested after 6 stabbed in downtown L.A. 3 arrested for nearly $1 million in stolen student, Carjacking suspect shot in wild chase in L.A. County, Newport Beach home dangling after cliffside collapse, Over $38M stolen from low-income SoCal families, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. 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. 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. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. 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. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. 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. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. 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 trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". 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. 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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was While growing up in Uganda, Nakajjigo used her college tuition funds to open up a nonprofit community education center in her home country. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Read more about Traffic and Travel Tips. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. A gavel. 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. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM 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. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 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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. 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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". ", "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. He told NBC that the harrowing accident has left him traumatized, and he continues to suffer from PTSD months after. The National parks Service didn't respond to a request for comment on the claim from The Sun. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. 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 most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. / CBS Colorado. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. Market data provided by Factset. 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. 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. 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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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. 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. She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. 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. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. It's likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. 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. The young Ugandan human rights activist was decapitated by an unsecured metal gate on the periphery of Arches National Park. 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 Instead, the familys civil lawsuit largely focused on the amount of damages merited. 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. Shes got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after her. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. RELATED: Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. 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 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. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. 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 woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". 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. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. Legal Statement. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Arches National Park is best known for its Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. No An official form of the United States government. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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.
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