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. / CBS Colorado. Provided by All rights reserved. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos.. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against Shes got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after her. Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. No An official form of the United States government. 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 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. 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. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. Market data provided by Factset. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. She and Michaud were married in March. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. 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. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. 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. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". 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 gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. NBC reported that he was flown to Moab Regional Hospital. 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. (CCA-BY-2.0). Deborah Chang, the Los Angeles-based attorney representing Michaud, claimed there was nothing he could do to swerve out of the way of the gate that killed his wife and missed him by a hair. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 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. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. 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. 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 three people involved were related, Brown said. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. 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). "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. A gavel. Courtesy They married about three months prior. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good.". 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. You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. 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. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. "The trail up to Delicate Arch has reopened for use. 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. 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. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. By his verdict, Judge Bruce Jenkins has shown the world how the American justice system works to hold its own government accountable and greatly values all lives, including that of Esther Nakajjigo, a remarkable young woman from Uganda, attorney Randi McGinn said in a statement announcing the award. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. 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 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 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. 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. In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. Market data provided by Factset. The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. 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. 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 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. "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 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. Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. 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. The humanitarian had traveled to the US to further her studies and was awarded with the Luff Peace Fellowship by the University of Boulder in Colorado. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. 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. 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 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 2 min read June 17, 2021 - 6:27AM Esther 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 The park which has over 2000 arches that "How do you measure someone like her? 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. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Passionate about international politics and world affairs, hes an avid traveler with a keen interest in the connections between South Asia and the United States. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. 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 Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. This story has been updated to correct Michauds age. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. All rights reserved. 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! Claim says gate penetrated car of a Denver man and his new wife during a strong windstorm at Utahs Arches National Park. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. 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. 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. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. 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. 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.. She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. 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.