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. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. They married about three months prior. 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. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. 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 Its near it but not there. Michaud's filing clears the path for a full lawsuit, which is expected to be served within the coming months. "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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. 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. All rights reserved. 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. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. 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. 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. 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. 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. WebEsther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. 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. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. 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. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. The pair married in March of this year. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died in June 2020 as she and her husband of three months drove out of the park, in southern Utah. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. 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. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. I think thats what they meant to show but I could be wrong Chang said she plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. 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. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue. 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. More Videos Next up in 5 On June 13, they had gone on a hike and had a picnic. / CBS Colorado. Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. 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. Around 2 p.m., they were driving to get ice cream in the town of Moab when the gate swung into their path. The gate barely missed Michaud. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. "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. 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. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. In the courts ruling, Judge Jenkins awarded $9.5 million to Nakajjigos husband, $700,000 to her mother, and $350,000 to her father. "The trail up to Delicate Arch has reopened for use. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. 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. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. 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. (CCA-BY-2.0). Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. It's known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. 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. Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. 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. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. Ludovic Michaud and Essie Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud), Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park. The United States government will pay more than $10 million to the family of a Ugandan human rights activist who was decapitated in a 2020 accident at Arches National Park in Utah. Legal Statement. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. 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 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. 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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. "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. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. RELATED: Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. Family photo. Listen online or download the iHeart App. Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. "The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". 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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. 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 Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. "I had a ton of flashbacks. By the time Nakajjigo left Uganda to pursue a fully-funded leadership course in Denver, she had raised enough money to build health care facilities in her hometown. WebEsther Nakajjigo was killed at Utahs Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Several dozen per day. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. They said claims by the familys lawyers that Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time of her death, was on track to be a non-profit CEO shortly were too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. "The National Park Service has, in face, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous conditions," says the claim. 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. 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. 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. Two peopledied Friday while hikinginArches National Park in Utah. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. 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. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was 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 WebThe United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist who was killed in a 2020 accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal No An official form of the United States government. "We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. 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. He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. 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 family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. The National parks Service didn't respond to a request for comment on the claim from The Sun. 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. WebThis incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. "I'm still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. 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. 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. 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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 most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. Shelly Bradbury is a breaking news reporter who joined The Denver Post in November 2019. "How do you measure someone like her? Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window.