arches national park gate death video

Legal Statement. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM 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, Chang wrote in the claim. Market data provided by Factset. 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 She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. 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. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 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. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. "The trail up to Delicate Arch has reopened for use. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. The show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. National Park Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. 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 The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. 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. The All rights reserved. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. FOX 13 Investigates: Grisly decapitation of ambassador at Arches 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. 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. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. 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 family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. Winter conditions make for slippery hiking; proceed with caution," the tweet said. 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. Family sues after newlywed is killed by gate at Arches park The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. 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. 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 ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. "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. Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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. She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. No An official form of the United States government. 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. Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. Video All rights reserved. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. 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. 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. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. 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. In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. 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 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. Family of Woman Decapitated by Swinging Gate at State Park The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. Family photo. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. Elon Musk Wins Funding Secured Shareholder Lawsuit, Blog vs YouTube Over Other Websites: How to Choose, Behind the Story of Ghostbed vs. Purple Mattress Lawsuit, Investigation Reveals Goodyears Dunlop D402 Tires Have Caused Dozens of Motorcycle Accidents, Amputees Third Attempt at Holding Medical Personnel Responsible Pays Off. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. Shes got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after her. Michaud's filing clears the path for a full lawsuit, which is expected to be served within the coming months. 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. 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. A metal gate at Arches National Park killed a woman. Its now the An activist's dreams 'were about to come true.' Then, a horrific On June 13, they had gone on a hike and had a picnic. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah. 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. Webcams Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. She and Michaud were married in March. Provided by He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. 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. 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 gate is just before the visitors center as drivers leave the park, near Moab, Utah. 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. 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. 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 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. Gate The park which has over 2000 arches that Arches National She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. All rights reserved. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. (CCA-BY-2.0). Claim says gate penetrated car of a Denver man and his new wife during a strong windstorm at Utahs Arches National Park. future Oprah or Princess Diana 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. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. Arches National Park Trial begins Ugandan woman's death in Arches National Park This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. Arches National Park After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to "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.". Several dozen per day. "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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 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 "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 gate barely missed Michaud. 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. 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. 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. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. 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. 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. 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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. The tragic accident is now the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit Michaud and Nakajjigo's family are pursuing, in which they argue that the U.S. Park Service was negligent and did not maintain the gates at the entrances and exits to the parks, leading to Nakajjigo's death. "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. 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 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. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. 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. 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. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. ", "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. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. "How do you measure someone like her? Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. WebThis incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong WebSALT LAKE CITY Ludovic Michaud, of Denver, was driving around the scenic red rock landscapes of Utah's Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when something Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. 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.

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