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. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was 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. Shelly Bradbury is a breaking news reporter who joined The Denver Post in November 2019. "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. 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. All rights reserved. While growing up in Uganda, Nakajjigo used her college tuition funds to open up a nonprofit community education center in her home country. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). 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 gate is just before the visitors center as drivers leave the park, near Moab, Utah. Winter conditions make for slippery hiking; proceed with caution," the tweet said. 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. 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 most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. 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. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, 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. WebThis incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. 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! 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. WebUSA TODAY 0:00 0:49 Two people died Friday while hiking in Arches National Park in Utah. Arches National Park is best known for its She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. 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 end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". 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. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. 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. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. The National parks Service didn't respond to a request for comment on the claim from The Sun. Please enter valid email address to continue. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. 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. 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. Michaud's filing clears the path for a full lawsuit, which is expected to be served within the coming months. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. She and Michaud were married in March. On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. 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. 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. 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. 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. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. The gate barely missed Michaud. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. 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 woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. Nakijjijo, originally from Uganda, "was a world-renowned activist, movie and TV star as well as a youth influencer," the claim says. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. Provided by 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. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam 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. 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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip? "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. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. Market data provided by Factset. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. 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. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. "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.". 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. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against 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.". Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. 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. 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. 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 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 trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. 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. 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. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. 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. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. 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 most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. 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. The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. The pair married in March of this year. Legal Statement. Listen online or download the iHeart App. 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. 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. Legal Statement. NBC reported that he was flown to Moab Regional Hospital. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM 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 also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019.
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