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. 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. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. "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. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. No An official form of the United States government. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos.. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against 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. She and Michaud were married in March. 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 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. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good.". 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. 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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. The pair married in March of this year. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. 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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. On the edge of the park, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. Michaud is asking for more than $220 million in damages for wrongful death, and $20 million in damages for personal injury. The park which has over 2000 arches that Provided by 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 Then the car carrying him and his wife stopped. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. Legal Reader is devoted to protecting consumers. 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 WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. Michaud, of Denver, is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. That same year, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award from the United Nations Population Fund. 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. 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. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. A 30-year-old man who also fell was hospitalized; his current condition is unknown. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. 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. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. Family photo. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. RELATED: Search of Aurora house in case of missing teen Lashaya Stine continues, RELATED: Head brewer at Denver Beer Co. dies in climbing accident, SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Local stories from 9NEWS. 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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. 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. 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. November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. 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. Instead, the familys civil lawsuit largely focused on the amount of damages merited. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was 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 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. 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. Its near it but not there. He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. WebEsther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. 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. The couple had traveled to Arches in celebration of their one-year anniversary of meeting. 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. 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. On June 13, they had gone on a hike and had a picnic. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. 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. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. Both claims ask for $15 million in damages for wrongful death. 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 A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. The Grand County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". 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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. The National parks Service didn't respond to a request for comment on the claim from The Sun. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. 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 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. One of the Denver couple's stops was Arches National Park near Moab. 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. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. 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.