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 "Essie" Nakajjigo. I really wanted to show her Arches, he said, because I know all the parks around Moab It's one of my favorite places in the U.S., if not my favorite place.. CPR was performed on the individual on site. WebA $270 million wrongful death administrative claim was reportedly filed against Arches National Park after a 25-year-old human rights activist from Uganda was killed at the Rep. 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The family of a women's rights activist from Uganda has filed a more than $270 million wrongful death claim against the National Park Service. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Death Valley National Park in California might be one of the most underrated parks in the country. Nakajjigo and Michaud spent June 13, 2020, at Arches National Park in Utah as a way to celebrate their one-year anniversary of when they first met, according to 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. On February 24, park witnesses saw the 71-year-old male collapsing to the ground and becoming unresponsive, Arches (ARCH) officials report.That afternoon, emergency personnel would respond from Classic Nakajjigo was a humanitarian who had won numerous awards and recognition for her work. A federal judge awarded more than $10 million to the family of a Ugandan human rights activist who was decapitated while on a visit to Arches National Park in 2020. WebThe cheapest way to get from Arches National Park to Death Valley National Park costs only $131, and the quickest way takes just 6 hours. Didn't even get to touch lava." Denver7 reached out to he National Park Service to ask about the accident. Photo courtesy Grand County Sheriff's Office. The family Essie Nakajjigo, an activist who died in Arches National Park in 2020, is preparing to head to trial for a wrongful death lawsuit. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. Fourteen people died in North Cascades in those 15 years, when an average of just over 25,000 Gabby Petito: New Lawsuit Filing Says Brian Laundrie Was an Her Esther Nakajjigo, 25, A third Californian, a 30-year-old man, also fell and was injured. See details. The couple hiked to Delicate Arch and ate lunch in the Windows area before starting their drive out of the park. The family Essie Nakajjigo, an activist who died in Arches National Park in 2020, is preparing to head to trial for a wrongful death lawsuit. A man has died after collapsing to the ground while hiking in Arches National Park. Denver newlyweds trip to Arches National Park ends with wifes DENVER -- 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 to Arches National Park that claimed the life of his beloved wife, Esther Nakajjigo. In November, Petito's family filed $50 million lawsuit against the Moab Police Department Many have said that Dead Horse Point State Park has been overlooked by the National Park Service. For more on the parks HEAT KILLS safety program, see our full Arches National Park Safety breakdown here. Death Valley National Park, California-Nevada It's a place of extremes: Death Valley is one of the hottest and driest places on earth, it's also one of the darkest. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Zoe Littlepage, a lead attorney on the case, told The Salt Lake Tribune, that "on behalf of the family, we are very appreciative of the judge's attention to detail, the time he spent working on this, and for the value he put on the loss to this family of Essie.". Doesn't look anything like the license plate." 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. Alongside theNational Park Service, Outsider wants visit to be safe, memorable, enjoyable, and above all: safe. The mans identity is private as the investigation continues. On February 24, park witnesses U.S. National Parks: 10 Spots That Are A Photographer's Dream WebDeath Valley is known for its austere, barren, Mars-like terrain, but for a few weeks in the spring, this desolate National Park transforms into a colorful wildflower-studded garden. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. @ArielleHarrison Utah (ABC4) Staff members at Arches National Park recovered a deceased body on Saturday, October 1, 2022. Nakajjigo's younger brother John, who traveled from Uganda to the U.S. to be at the trial, told KUTV that life without his sister has been extremely tough, but he is grateful for the opportunity to be at the trial and also meet Nakajjigo's husband for the first time. Delicate Arch is one of the three main arches featured on Utah license plates. Prosecuting attorney Randi McGinn described the death in gruesome detail and said if Nakajjigos life had not been cut short, 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. He ultimately took his own life at a nearby environmental park. Many of these incidents could be avoided with visitors planning and making responsible decisions. Arches National Park 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. To plan the safest and most enjoyable Arches trip, see our full overview of the national park here. "We respect the judge's decision and hope this award will help her loved ones as they continue to heal for this tragedy," the statement read. WebThe park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue, and in 2020 she was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in local reporting for an investigation into child sexual abuse among Amish and Mennonite communities. TOLERABLE TEMPS While winter is the best time to visit for cool temps, early spring temperatures range between lows in the 50s and highs in the 90s. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. "I don't want anyone or any other family to go through what we've been through," Michaud told CBS affiliate KUTV. End your National Park Log with a "Well, That Happened Checklist" and a page to list goals for your next visit; COLLECT THE WHOLE SERIES: There are 32 unique and beautiful covers in this National Park Passport Journal series. Read more Print length 56 pages Language English Publication date February 22, 2023 Dimensions 4 x 0.13 x 6 inches See all details Product details ASIN : B0BW2HRDBL "Delicate arch looks like it might fall over at any time. Her case was labeled a homicide, with Laundrie being the sole suspect. Arches National Park 165. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, whod moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder, was killed instantly. 2 Hikers Fall To Their Deaths In Utah's Arches National Park The park service previously issued a statement expressing sympathy to Nakajjigos family. Ludovic's attorney, Deborah Chang, told Denver7 the entrance gate should have been locked open, and not allowed to swing freely. The womans family alleges the park was negligent in not locking down the gate that rammed through her car. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. The suit does not specify the amount the plaintiffs are seeking, though it accuses park staff of negligence. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. I want to see hotel recommendations when using Rome2rio Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, House where JonBent Ramsey was found dead on sale for nearly $7 million. We asked the Park Service about the swing gates and were told that both sides are now padlocked when in the "open" position. During the trial, a U.S. attorney representing the government said, "The United States was 100 percent at fault. Trial begins over death of Ugandan woman killed in Utah park In the court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, Chang described the gates as the same color as the landscape. Nakajjigo was a Ugandan singer and actress who reportedly did charity work. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. Michaud and Nakajjigo had been married for just under three months when they decided to go see the Arches. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. She received multiple honors for her humanitarian work and was attending a leadership program in Bolder, Colorado, at the time of her death. When you are there, you cant help feel that it should be included among the greats. Another one of Utahs stunning national parks is Arches National Park. 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. Canyonlands National Park Jan. 31, 2023 Plan completed on October 18, 2022 9. A spokeswoman said the single vehicle accident happened June 13 on the entrance road of Arches National Park, near the Visitor's Center, and that the entrance was shut down for several hours. Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo's husband Ludovic Michaud will receive $9.5 million while her mother Christine Namagembe will receive $700,000, according to the judgment filed in federal court. This verdict, though the largest by a federal judge in Utah history, cannot replace the immeasurable loss suffered by her husband and family. Ludovic Michaud and his new wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were driving aroundArches National Parkon a windy spring day in 2020 when a metal gate whipped around, sliced through the passenger door of his car and decapitated Nakajjigo. The gate reportedly smashed through the side of the car and struck Nakajjigo in the neck, killing her. They appeared to be hiking together and may have been related, noted the sheriffs statement. A 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. This incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. Of the accidents aftermath, Michaud told FOX 13: I saw the worst thing I hope I will ever see.. Below, youll find general hiking safety for the park that greatly increases the safety of your trip: In all national parks, the buddy system will always be the best way to ensure a safe visit. The following month, the medical examiner in Sarasota County determined he died from a single gunshot wound to the head, self-inflicted. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim said. She reportedly moved to Colorado for a social entrepreneurship program at the Watson Institute in Boulder. An investigation is underway and an analysis is expected from the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner to determine more details. If you have a story idea or tip for the FOX 13 Investigative unit, please share it with us below: Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. At this time, I do not have more information to share.". I guess the great state of Utah wanted to keep it all for herself. Trial begins over death of Ugandan woman killed at Arches National Park. Shelly Bradbury is the courts reporter at the Denver Post. Sadly, deaths are not uncommon in the park. Attorneys for Michaud and Nakajjigos family gave their opening arguments when the civil trial began Monday. 12 Dark Parks Where You Can See Millions of Stars - TheStreet They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June, eager for an adventure. FOX 13 Investigates: Family sues over death of woman killed in The 46-foot-tall Delicate Arch is the largest free-standing arch and the most widely known of the 2,000 arches in the park, which draws more than 1.5 million visitors per year. Arches National Park The family of a women's rights activist from Uganda sued the National Park Service in June 2021 after she was decapitated the previous year by a gate at Utah's Arches National She said entrance gates should be locked into place whether they are open or closed. The area around Delicate Arch was temporarily closed off after the tragedy, but reopened later Friday. Additionally, The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner will analyze the mans body due to the sudden, unexpected and unknown manner of his death, local 2KUTV reports. / CBS/AP. 16 Best National Parks to Visit in Spring Bearfoot Theory On February 24, park witnesses saw the 71-year-old male collapsing to the ground and becomingunresponsive, Arches (ARCH) officials report. He was airlifted to Moab Regional Hospital.