arches national park gate death video

He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. 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. According to CBS News, neither the U.S. government nor the Nakajjigo family disputed the facts of the claim. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Courtesy 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 show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. The Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. 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. The gate is just before the visitors center as drivers leave the park, near Moab, Utah. 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 been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. She and Michaud were married in March. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. "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. 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. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". 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. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. 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 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. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com 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. Legal Statement. 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. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. A gavel. That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. 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. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. 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 park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to 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. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. 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. 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 Webcam Entrance Station Webcam Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. 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 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. 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 Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. 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. NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. 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. 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. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. Nakajjigo moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. 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. More Videos Next up in 5 On June 13, they had gone on a hike and had a picnic. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. 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. She's done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives," she said. A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good.". In the fatal incident, a gust of wind apparently dislodged it and sent it smashing into the passenger side of the couples rented car. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. 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. 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! She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Winter conditions make for slippery hiking; proceed with caution," the tweet said. Market data provided by Factset. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. "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. Several dozen per day. 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.. 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. 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. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? "It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, it's going to happen again," he said. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. CBS News reports that the case attracted significant attention, considering the gruesome circumstances and Nakajjigos status as a relatively well-known human rights activist. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, 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. It's likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. The show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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. 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. Its near it but not there. The suit was filed on June 8. They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. (CCA-BY-2.0). 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.. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. "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. 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. Michaud and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were in Arches National Park. 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. In his ruling, Judge Jenkins said that the death was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking.. The most important thing for me is to try continuing what shes done, Michaud said. 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. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. 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 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. 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. 2 min read June 17, 2021 - 6:27AM Esther The familys claim said that three other people in cars were killed by such gates on National Park Service property since 1988. 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. 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. 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. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. "I had a ton of flashbacks. 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 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. 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. "Despite this fact, the NPS has done nothing to ensure the safety of its visitors and guests.". WebUSA TODAY 0:00 0:49 Two people died Friday while hiking in Arches National Park in Utah. 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 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. 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. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. 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. 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. 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. 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 WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst, File). We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. 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. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. She previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. "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. The young Ugandan human rights activist was decapitated by an unsecured metal gate on the periphery of Arches National Park. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. The park which has over 2000 arches that 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. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. 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. 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. 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