arches national park gate death video

Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo 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 You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. 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. Legal Reader is devoted to protecting consumers. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip? She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. It's likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. 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. Market data provided by Factset. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. 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. Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. The park which has over 2000 arches that Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. 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. WebUSA TODAY 0:00 0:49 Two people died Friday while hiking in Arches National Park in Utah. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. 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. The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. 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 That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. 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. A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. McGinn said if her life hadn't been cut short that Nakajjigo's trajectory suggested she would have gone on to become a non-profit CEO who could eventually have netted an annual income in the hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions. 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. No An official form of the United States government. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. 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. 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. Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. 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. 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. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. Shelly Bradbury is a breaking news reporter who joined The Denver Post in November 2019. She was decapitated. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. 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. "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. 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. 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 familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah. They married about three months prior. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. All rights reserved. Her husband, Ludovic Michaud, and her parents in October filed a $270 million wrongful-death claim a precursor to the formal lawsuit alleging that the gate should have been secured to prevent it from swinging into the road. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She and Michaud were married in March. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. 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 FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. ", "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. WebEsther Nakajjigo was killed at Utahs Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. Listen online or download the iHeart App. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com 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. 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 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. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. "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. Both claims ask for $15 million in damages for wrongful death. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. 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. RELATED: Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. 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 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. He told NBC that the harrowing accident has left him traumatized, and he continues to suffer from PTSD months after. 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. Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. 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. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. 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 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. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. "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 show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. Courtesy "I had a ton of flashbacks. 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. Arches National Park is best known for its If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo Michaud, 26, were driving to get ice cream during a camping trip June 13 when a metal gate blew closed in strong winds and sliced through the side of their car like a hot knife through butter, according to the administrative claim, which was filed in October. 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. More Videos Next up in 5 This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. 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. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. "The most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. or redistributed. Read more about Traffic and Travel Tips. The gate barely missed Michaud. 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 Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. 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. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. 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. 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 couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. Several dozen per day. 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. 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. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. She also created a popular reality television series that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. 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. 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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 Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches 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. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM 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. 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. 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 National Park Service did not respond to an email seeking comment, and the media relations voicemail inbox was full and could not accept messages. 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. Michaud's filing clears the path for a full lawsuit, which is expected to be served within the coming months. 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. "It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, it's going to happen again," he said. 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 Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. 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. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. This story has been updated to correct Michauds age. 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. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. 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. Family photo. 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. All rights reserved. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good.". 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 gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. A gavel. 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. "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.". Lindsay Clancy's murder of 3 kids shows cruel trick psychosis plays, Train derailment in Springfield, Ohio as residents ordered to shelter in place, Rape survivor 'sobbed seeing Gabby Petito bodycam vid after same cop did nothing', Mom 'stabs 3 of her kids to death and wounds 2 others in unsupervised visit', 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, A 25-year-old activist was beheaded in a freak accident while enjoying a trip to Arches National Park in Utah, 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. 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. According to CBS News, neither the U.S. government nor the Nakajjigo family disputed the facts of the claim. 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. "How do you measure someone like her? 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On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. Market data provided by Factset. The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. / CBS Colorado. Legal Statement. "The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". 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. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. 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. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. 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. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. The 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, Chang said she plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected. 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 previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. 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.. 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'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. 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. 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. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. The young Ugandan human rights activist was decapitated by an unsecured metal gate on the periphery of Arches National Park. 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. Legal Statement. 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. The pair married in March of this year. WebThis incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. 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. 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.