", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. 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. 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 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. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah. Both claims ask for $15 million in damages for wrongful death. 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.
Arches National Park For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown.
Newlywed killed by swinging gate at Arches National Park She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Its near it but not there. The 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. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband.
Trial to begin for human rights activist killed by gate in Arches 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.
Arches National Park: 2 people die after falling while hiking - USA Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. Several dozen per day. WebEsther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. 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. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. This story has been updated to correct Michauds age. All rights reserved. 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. After requesting that the family leave the courtroom, she recounted the moment Michaud realized his wife had been killed, when he inhaled the copper-tinged smell of blood, turned to figure out what it was and saw she was dead. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. They married about three months prior. 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. Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. "The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". In Colorado, she met Michaud, who had moved there from France.
Denver man files suit after wife's death at National Park - KMGH 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 Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. WebEsther Nakajjigo was killed at Utahs Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her.
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. According to CBS News, neither the U.S. government nor the Nakajjigo family disputed the facts of the claim. 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. 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. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. 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. Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. RELATED: Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. 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. 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 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. 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. 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 She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com "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.". 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.
Twist after newlywed decapitated by gate at national park - Yahoo! Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam 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, 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. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death.
U.S. Government to Pay $10m to Family of Ugandan Activist Killed Arches National Park accident: Esther Nakajjigo's family awarded Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. Arches National Park is best known for its
A metal gate at Arches National Park killed a woman. Its now the Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. 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. "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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. WebThis incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. 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. The suit was filed on June 8. The park which has over 2000 arches that A gavel. / CBS Colorado. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning.
Arches National WebUSA TODAY 0:00 0:49 Two people died Friday while hiking in Arches National Park in Utah. NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com.
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. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. 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. Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. 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. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong 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. The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. 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. 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. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. Listen online or download the iHeart App. 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. NBC reported that he was flown to Moab Regional Hospital. "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. WebWidower Struggles With Loss After Wife Decapitated By Gate In Arches National Park 1,777,542 views Nov 12, 2020 30K Dislike Save CBS Colorado 98.1K subscribers Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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!
An activist's dreams 'were about to come true.' Then, a horrific 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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.
death 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. Read more about Traffic and Travel Tips. 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. 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. 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. ", "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 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.
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NPS faces wrongful death claim after newlywed decapitated by The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. 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, 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. 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.
future Oprah or Princess Diana Instead, the familys civil lawsuit largely focused on the amount of damages merited. 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. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said.
Denver man files claim after wife decapitated by Utah park gate All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Michaud's filing clears the path for a full lawsuit, which is expected to be served within the coming months. 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 National Park Service did not respond to an email seeking comment, and the media relations voicemail inbox was full and could not accept messages. 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. 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. 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. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. Decapitated human rights activists family wins $10 million lawsuit after accident at Utah park, Denver 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. "The NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. 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 and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Courtesy
Esther Nakajjigo beheaded by gate at Utahs Arches National Park 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. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. 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