Fourteen people died in North Cascades in those 15 years, when an average of just over 25,000 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 This verdict, though the largest by a federal judge in Utah history, cannot replace the immeasurable loss suffered by her husband and family. The trial began Dec. 5 in Utah and was meant to determine how much money was owed to the family, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. 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. It might fall over in the future. He was airlifted to Moab Regional Hospital. Stay safe out there, Outsiders. 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 "I've always wanted to meet him, though not in this way," he said. 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. FOX 13 reported earlier this year how Nakajjigo died June 13, 2020, after wind caught a traffic control gate and blew it into the rented Chevy Malibu driven by her husband, Ludo Michaud. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. 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. WebGRAND COUNTY, Utah A trial is underway after a woman was decapitated at Arches National Park. 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. The victim was transported to the Grand County Medical Examiners Office to determine a cause of death. "Our sympathies go out to Esther Nakajjigo's family, friends and those whose lives she impacted," Public Affairs specialist Vanessa Lacayo said in a statement. 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. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. First published on December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM. We are grateful that Judge Jenkins honored Essie's life and legacy with this award," Littlepage said in a statement to PEOPLE. Bryce Canyon National Park - 188 miles. Crater Lake National Park. This story was reported from Los Angeles. I dont want this incident to reproduce itself ever again.. She said there was nothing that visually set them apart. Her case was labeled a homicide, with Laundrie being the sole suspect. Of the accidents aftermath, Michaud told FOX 13: I saw the worst thing I hope I will ever see.. "For the sake of a padlock and chain, that you have in your garage that is all that would have made a difference in his world," Chang said. Always check the weather before visiting Arches. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Travelogue; Denver7 reached out to he National Park Service to ask about the accident. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says. She received multiple honors for her humanitarian work and was attending a leadership program in Bolder, Colorado, at the time of her death. They appeared to be hiking together and may have been related, noted the sheriffs statement. The park service previously issued a statement expressing sympathy to Nakajjigos family. 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. Nakajjigo worked on fundraising to open a hospital in an underserved part of Kampala, Uganda's capital, became a philanthropic celebrity and immigrated to the United States for a fellowship at the Boulder, Colorado-based Watson Institute for emerging leaders. 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. Tragically, the father was pronounced deceased at the scene. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In November, Petito's family filed $50 million lawsuit against the Moab Police Department 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. Two California visitors fell to their deaths while hiking to the Delicate Arch sandstone formation in Arches National Park. Michaud, in February, told FOX 13 about the trip to the park. The womans family alleges the park was negligent in not locking down the gate that rammed through her car. And we want to express on behalf of the United States our profound sorrow for your loss," per the newspaper. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Michaud and Nakajjigo had been married for just under three months when they decided to go see the Arches. Many of these incidents could be avoided with visitors planning and making responsible decisions. 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 Sadly, deaths are not uncommon in the park. "On behalf of the United States, we again extend our condolences to Ms. Nakajjigo's friends, family and beloved community.". If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. "For how majestic these parks are, it's kind of shocking how rudimentary these gates are," she said. 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 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. 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.". Its known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. 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. The Associated Press 2:50 PM MST on Jan 31, 2023 SALT LAKE CITY The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations, CBS Colorado reported. DENVER (CBS4) - The family of a Denver woman has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim against Arches National Park after she was killed there over the This story has been shared 152,729 times. Lehman Caves Visitor Center 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 couple hiked to Delicate Arch and ate lunch in the Windows area before starting their drive out of the park. We've received your submission. The suit does not specify the amount the plaintiffs are seeking, though it accuses park staff of negligence. Alongside theNational Park Service, Outsider wants visit to be safe, memorable, enjoyable, and above all: safe. FOX 13 reported earlier this year how Nakajjigo died June 13, 2020. The others are Bryce Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Canyonlands National Park. 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. Natural Bridge in Yoho National Park. Didn't even get to touch lava." For more on the parks HEAT KILLS safety program, see our full Arches National Park Safety breakdown here. 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. Staying with companions while hiking allows for emergency aid contact, as was the case in this mans tragic death. ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, Utah - An investigation is underway after a hiker collapsed and later died at Arches National Park in Utah. Part of HuffPost Environment. Stars of 'Tiger King' : Where Are They Now? 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. 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. The area around Delicate Arch was temporarily closed off after the tragedy, but reopened later Friday. A Torrance couple died and their adult son was injured after the family of three plummeted down a 100-foot slope in Arches National Park in Utah on Friday, Nov. 29, officials said. Trial begins over death of Ugandan woman killed at Arches National Park. (KKCO) - The National Park Service announced in a press release that it has identified the body of a woman found in Arches National Park earlier this week. I guess the great state of Utah wanted to keep it all for herself. A newlywed Denver couples road trip to Arches National Park in Utah this summer ended in tragedy when a metal gate at the park exit swung open, impaled the couples car and decapitated the woman, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. A hike through scenic Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, turned deadly for one man on Friday after he collapsed She was one in a billion, Your Honor, attorney Randi McGinn told the judge, according to FOX 13 Salt Lake City. 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.". 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. "She was the woman I was trying to spend my life with," said the Parisian who'd moved to the U.S. "Everything was perfect.". In the court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, Chang described the gates as the same color as the landscape. WebHet Arches National Park is een klein nationaal park bij Moab in het oosten van de Amerikaanse staat Utah.Er zijn diverse wandelingen (trails) in het park.Ook is er een bezoekerscentrum. Park rangers said the incident happened Friday when the 71-year-old man from Massachusetts was with his wife and son. Those experiencing previous health conditions, such as heart disease, are at greater risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, both of which can be deadly. At this time, I do not have more information to share.". SALT LAKE CITY The family of human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated in an accident in Arches National Park, has sued the National Park Service. 71-Year-Old Man Collapses, Dies During Arches National Park Hike, Arches National Park Safety breakdown here, Arches trip, see our full overview of the national park here, Never rely on a cellular phone to summon help; cellular service will not reach into many areas of Arches, If you become lost, stay where you are and wait for rescue, Wandering alone will endanger your life and make finding you difficult, When traveling alone, always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. Travel within United States is: Unrestricted. 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. Grand Canyon National Park is divided into 4 major areas: The South Rim, North Rim, Grand Canyon East, and West Grand Canyon. Another one of Utahs stunning national parks is Arches National Park. December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM 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. "We don't know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. Users on Facebook offered their condolences, with one saying she hopes the nearby town of Moab will gather round the family of the deceased to support them. While most people have heard of Yosemite and Joshua authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. His body was transferred to the Grand County Medical Examiners Office. @ArielleHarrison When California has experienced consistent winter rains, the spring wildflower blooms in Death Valley can reach super bloom status, which last happened in 2016. She also said it should have been installed to swing inwards for incoming traffic, not outwards. 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. 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.. The complaint also describes how Michaud had to witness the grisly scene. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Shelly Bradbury is the courts reporter at the Denver Post. Esther Nakajjigo, whod moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder, was killed instantly. The Late 'Rust' Cinematographer's Family, Life and Career, Jen Shah Fraud Case: U.S. Government Requests to Sentence 'RHOSLC' Star to 10 Years in Prison, Gabby Petito's Family Wins $3 Million from Brian Laundrie's Estate In Wrongful Death Suit, Fact-Checking the George Santos Claims: From Goldman Sachs Employee to College 'Volleyball Star', Jen Shah's Victim Impact Letters Detail 'Everyday Struggle' After Fraud Scheme 'Turned Our Lives Upside Down'. Ludovic's attorney, Deborah Chang, told Denver7 the entrance gate should have been locked open, and not allowed to swing freely. "Delicate arch looks like it might fall over at any time. 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. 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 Petito was found deceased in Wyoming on September 19, 2021, at the Grand Teton National Park. Unseasonably warm temperatures can take hold of the desert any time of year. "It could have happened to the people in front of us, or behind us," he said. 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. Luca Galuzzi via Wikimedia Commons. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. 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. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Shes been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice. WebDeath Valley in Fall; Yosemite in the Fall; Pacific Northwest; Utah Off-Roading; Southern CA Deserts; Yosemite & Covid; Lake Powell Covid; Arches National Park, UT. CPR was performed on the individual on site. During the trial, a U.S. attorney representing the government said, "The United States was 100 percent at fault. Things to do in Zion. 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. It wasnt immediately clear why the three fell. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. The metal pole forming the top of the gate pierced the passenger side of the car and struck Nakajjigo in the head and neck. First responders from several agencies, including the National Park Service and the sheriffs department, arrived on the scene and attempted to perform CPR, but they could not prevent the mans untimely death. "I went from the best time of my life to the worst, in one second," he said. Read More FILE Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. A video tribute to his wife showed her talking about her name, in an earlier recording. Here are our favorites. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. "Emergency response personnel from the National Park Service, Grand County Sheriffs Office, Grand County EMS, Moab City Police Department, Utah Highway Patrol and Moab Valley Fire Department responded to the scene to provide assistance. 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 the Associated Press. 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. The couple had been married about three months. This story has been shared 144,788 times. Nakajjigo gained national notoriety in Uganda and created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to the claim. 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She joined the paper in 2019 and previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. The mild temperatures, stunning desert landscapes, and lack of crowds make it an ideal place for peaceful winter camping. 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. They went on a hike and had a picnic, and were driving to get ice cream when the gate swung into their path. The Associated Press contributed to this 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. 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 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. "I don't want anyone or any other family to go through what we've been through," Michaud told CBS affiliate KUTV. 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. That unique landscape at Badwater Basin occurs because of its distance below sea level at -282 ft. 3. r/JoshuaTree. He ultimately took his own life at a nearby environmental park.