It worked. 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. 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. Two tourists fell to their death while hiking in a popular area of Utahs Arches National Park on Friday, authorities said. Liability, if any, would have to be based on proof of willful wanton misconduct, sometimes referred to as gross negligence.. Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland over a selfie. Lehman Caves Visitor Center Attorneys for the family of a Ugandan activist killed by a swinging metal gate at Arches National Park in Utah are seeking $140 million in damages in a wrongful death lawsuit against the U.S. government By SAM METZ Associated Press December 5, 2022, 3:24 PM FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Petito was found deceased in Wyoming on September 19, 2021, at the Grand Teton National Park. Nakajjigo was a performer who used her celebrity to improve the status of women and girls in Uganda. Other covers in the series include Arches, Death Valley, Denali, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. Denver7's Lance Hernandez reports. 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. Michaud, in February, told FOX 13 about the trip to the park. According to the Grand County Sheriffs Department, the 71-year-old from Massachusetts was out hiking with his wife and son when the tragic incident occurred. Tragically, the father was pronounced deceased at the scene. And we want to express on behalf of the United States our profound sorrow for your loss," per the newspaper. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. 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. WebGRAND COUNTY, Utah A trial is underway after a woman was decapitated at Arches National Park. The gate reportedly smashed through the side of the car and struck Nakajjigo in the neck, killing her. They went on a hike and had a picnic, and were driving to get ice cream when the gate swung into their path. Attorneys for Michaud and Nakajjigos family gave their opening arguments when the civil trial began Monday. "I turned my head and saw what I wish I didn't see.". For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. Esther Deputies of the Grand County Sheriff's Office reported that a 71 year old He was airlifted to Moab Regional Hospital. A family hike in Arches National Park ended in tragedy as a Massachusetts father collapsed while exploring with his wife and son. Out in this vast, challenging desert, location and rescue can take hours even days. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. A hike through scenic Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, turned deadly for one man on Friday after he collapsed 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. Staying with companions while hiking allows for emergency aid contact, as was the case in this mans tragic death. Nominate Someone for a FOX 13 Dream Team Surprise! 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 RELATED: Utah teen dies after falling 150 feet while climbing near cliff, police say. This story has been shared 144,788 times. She said entrance gates should be locked into place whether they are open or closed. Esther Nakajjigo, whod moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder, was killed instantly. Ludovic's attorney, Deborah Chang, told Denver7 the entrance gate should have been locked open, and not allowed to swing freely. In June, the couple needed a break from quarantine, so they drove to Utah. One area visitor responding to the Facebook post by the sheriff said there were extremely strong winds near the arch. Photo: Getty Images. In the court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, Chang described the gates as the same color as the landscape. Luca Galuzzi via Wikimedia Commons. WebHere are some of the highlights of my countless trips to the three National Parks (Banff, Jasper and Yoho) in the Canadian Rockies. WebDeath Valley National Park Spring Highlights DESERT WILDFLOWERS Spring in Death Valley can bring stunning wildflower blooms, which are uniquely contrasted against the austere terrain. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. @ArielleHarrison Our thoughts and condolences are with Nakajjigos friends and families. Join. A 71-year-old visitor from Massachusetts collapsed and died on a family hike at Arches National Park in Utah, the National Park Service reported. Alongside theNational Park Service, Outsider wants visit to be safe, memorable, enjoyable, and above all: safe. A hike through scenic Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, turned deadly for one man on Friday after he collapsed and became unresponsive on the trail. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages At Arches, you can expect to see animals such as bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, and a variety of bird species such as golden eagles and peregrine falcons. "Essie was a remarkable humanitarian and champion for women and girls. 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. The metal pole forming the top of the gate pierced the passenger side of the car and struck Nakajjigo in the head and neck. "We don't know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. Nakajjigo was a humanitarian who had won numerous awards and recognition for her work. 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. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says. They 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 damages. "It could have happened to the people in front of us, or behind us," he said. ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, Utah - An investigation is underway after a hiker collapsed and later died at Arches National Park in Utah. While most people have heard of Yosemite and Joshua Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Arches National Park in 2020. The park service previously issued a statement expressing sympathy to Nakajjigos family. This story has been shared 167,214 times. Essie's father John Bocso Kateregga will receive $350,000. "I went from the best time of my life to the worst, in one second," he said. The family is reportedly suing the park for $270 million. December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM 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. United Statesattorneys do not dispute that park officials shouldered the blame but argued the amount the family should be awarded is far less at $3.5 million and called into question the ways in which the damages being sought were calculated. Park rangers said the incident happened Friday when the 71-year-old man from Massachusetts was with his wife and son. She served as an ambassador for women and girls in her native Uganda, and created a reality TV show to combat early pregnancy and forced marriage. 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. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In opening statements Monday in Salt Lake City, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigo's family said they were seeking $140 million in damages from the government. On February 24, park witnesses 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. The plaintiffs contend multiple federal policies require such gates to be secured, but that the gate near the visitors center at Arches was unlatched for two weeks before it struck Nakajjigo. McGinn said if her life hadn't been cut short that Nakajjigo's trajectory suggested she would have gone on to become a nonprofit CEO who could eventually have netted an annual income in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even millions. Photo provided by Ludovic Michaud Esther Nakajjigo, a Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in Arches National Park in Utah on June 13, 2020. 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. Arches National Park - 332 miles. Then She Was Charged with Murder, Danny Masterson Rape Trial Declared a Mistrial After Jurors Are Unable to Come to Unanimous Verdict, Julie Chrisley Said She Was 'Living in Fear' Ahead of Her and Husband Todd's Sentencing. Delicate Arch is one of the three main arches featured on Utah license plates. "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. Rangers warned visitors in a tweet to proceed with caution. Its a 3-mile-long, 480-foot climb from the closest parking to see the arch up close. Ludovic 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 (Photo by: Andrew Lloyd/Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images). CPR was performed on the individual on site. The family's lawsuit claims when the national parks reopened in April 2020 after being shuttered due to COVID-19, rangers at the national park in Utah didn't secure the gate in place, which in effect "turned a metal pipe into a spear that went straight through the side of a car, decapitating and killing Esther Nakajjigo.". Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. A video tribute to his wife showed her talking about her name, in an earlier recording. After moving to Colorado, Nakajjigo met her husband hed moved to the area from France and the pair married in March, just as the coronavirus pandemic began to make news. On February 24, park witnesses saw the 71-year-old male collapsing to the ground and becomingunresponsive, Arches (ARCH) officials report. Attorneys for the family of a Ugandan activist killed by a swinging metal gate at Arches National Park in Utah are seeking $140 million in damages in a wrongful This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. That unique landscape at Badwater Basin occurs because of its distance below sea level at -282 ft. 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. A family hike in Arches National Park ended in tragedy as a Massachusetts father collapsed while exploring with his wife and son. In October, Nakajjigos husband, Ludovic Michaud, and her parents filed a $270 million wrongful death claim a precursor to a formal lawsuit against the park, alleging that the gate should have been secured to prevent it from swinging into the road. An unidentified 60-year-old woman and 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 Nakajjigos death. Laundrie reportedly confessed to killing Petito in a notebook found near his partial remains. Intense sunlight, low humidity, and open desert with a lack of shade all compound these temperatures to make them potentially deadly to visitors. In other words, he added, theres no liability for ordinary negligence.
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