No An official form of the United States government. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics. 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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. A gavel. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. "The NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "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.". Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. 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. The three people involved were related, Brown said. The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. "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. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah. NBC reported that he was flown to Moab Regional Hospital. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. 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. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. 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. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". 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. 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. 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. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. 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. The gate is just before the visitors center as drivers leave the park, near Moab, Utah. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. 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. 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. Park staff told investigators the gate was usually left unsecured, and that typically the gates own weight kept it in place, so it was not locked in place by any other means. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. (CCA-BY-2.0). 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. He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. 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. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. 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. 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WebEsther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. 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. 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. Winter conditions make for slippery hiking; proceed with caution," the tweet said. 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 received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. 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. 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. "Despite this fact, the NPS has done nothing to ensure the safety of its visitors and guests.". 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. Shes got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after her. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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 webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. 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. 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. 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. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. The park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to 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. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. 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 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, it's going to happen again," he said. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. They married about three months prior. 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, wrote Chang, who plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected.. Market data provided by Factset. 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 She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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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. 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. "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. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. 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. 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. She and Michaud were married in March. Family photo. Chang said she plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Market data provided by Factset. She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs 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. Nakajjigo worked on fundraising to open a hospital in an underserved part of Kampala, Uganda's capital, became a philanthropic celebrity and immigrated to the United States for a fellowship at the Boulder, Colorado-based Watson Institute for emerging leaders. 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 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. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? 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. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. 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. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam 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. WebEsther Nakajjigo was killed at Utahs Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. 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