/ CBS/AP. The metal pole forming the top of the gate pierced the passenger side of the car and struck Nakajjigo in the head and neck. WebEstimated Distance from nearby National Park. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. Thanks for contacting us. Without warning, a gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung into the cars path. 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. 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. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. The judge is expected to issue his ruling in the coming weeks. 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. Fourteen people died in North Cascades in those 15 years, when an average of just over 25,000 Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. Two California visitors fell to their deaths while hiking to the Delicate Arch sandstone formation in Arches National Park. Michaud and his in-laws previously filed a claim with the National Park Service a step toward filing the lawsuit asking for $270 million. 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. Nakajjigos family will have to show her death was caused by more than negligence, said James C. Kozlowski, an associate professor of recreation management at George Mason University who studies legal issues in the outdoor industry. 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. 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. 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. 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. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Film fanatics headed to Luck ranch for Texas Film Hall of Fame, New street drug 'tranq dope,' rots skin, turns humans into 'zombies', Girl Scouts victim of theft in South Austin; no girls injured, San Marcos police searching for hit-and-run suspect; 61-year-old victim still unable to walk, Man charged in shooting death of Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso ordered held without bond, I didnt realize: Woman mistakenly eats heart-shaped chip that could have won her 100K, Giant bug found at an Arkansas Walmart identified as a Jurassic-era insect, Teen musician Dorian 'ZEV' Kweller remembered as uniquely talented, hard-working, Disneyland banned Rebel Wilson over selfie, actress says, Camila Alves McConaughey on Austin flight that 'dropped almost 4,000 feet'; 7 people reportedly hurt, Austin weather: Warmer temps continue into next week, Another US agency assesses COVID-19 origin likely a Chinese 'lab leak': report, FDA approves combination flu-COVID test for home use, Governor Abbott gives 2023 State of the State Address, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson tests positive for COVID-19. Nakajjigo was Uganda's ambassador for women and girls, and ran a health center in her home country that she set up when she was just 17 years old to provide free health services to adolescents. 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 others are Bryce Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Canyonlands National Park. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Laundrie reportedly confessed to killing Petito in a notebook found near his partial remains. There, an investigation into the incident is being conducted by the National Park Service and Grand County. 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.". Nakajjigo accomplished more by age 25 than most people do in a lifetime. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. 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. Sadly, deaths are not uncommon in the park. Arches National Park. Her case was labeled a homicide, with Laundrie being the sole suspect. While most people have heard of Yosemite and Joshua Tree, this California park doesnt get enough recognition for its beauty. Ludovic said he knows the suit won't bring his beloved wife back, but he wants to make sure the same type of tragic accident doesn't happen to anyone else. The weather was inclement and conditions were slippery following rain and snow. Yosemite, and Death Valley. A third man who fell was airlifted to a local hospital in Moab. 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. WebFactors that make Arches National Park sensitive to visitor damage include being a semiarid region, the scarce, unpredictable rainfall, lack of deep freezing, and lack of plant litter, which results in soils that have both a low resistance to and slow recovery from, compressional forces such as foot traffic. Stars of 'Tiger King' : Where Are They Now? 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 71-year-old visitor from Massachusetts collapsed and died on a family hike at Arches National Park in Utah, the National Park Service reported. 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. The pole gate pierced the passenger compartment of the couple's rental car, a Chevy Malibu, and decapitated Esther. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June, eager for an adventure. Nakajjigo was a Ugandan singer and actress who reportedly did charity work. 1 / 9. Photo courtesy Grand County Sheriff's Office. A man has died after collapsing to the ground while hiking in Arches National Park. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. She said there was nothing that visually set them apart. The area around Delicate Arch was temporarily closed off after the tragedy, but reopened later Friday. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. As they entered the park on June 13, high winds blew the park entrance gate, a swinging pole, back across the highway. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. 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. Park rangers said the incident happened Friday when the 71-year-old man from Massachusetts was with his wife and son. 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. She was one in a billion, Your Honor, attorney Randi McGinn told the judge, according to FOX 13 Salt Lake City. 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. Its known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. 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. WebThe park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks. Tragically, the father was pronounced deceased at the scene. In June, the couple needed a break from quarantine, so they drove to Utah. Death Valley National Park Jan. 31, 2023 Plan completed on August 17, 2022 USCA Case #19-1044 Document #1987865 Filed: 02/28/2023 Page 3 of 7 Arches National Park Jan. 31, 2023 Plan completed on October 18, 2022 8. Stay safe out there, Outsiders. She could lift mountains, basically, in her own way. One area visitor responding to the Facebook post by the sheriff said there were extremely strong winds near the arch. WebArches National Park and Death Valley National Park are both home to a variety of unique and diverse wildlife. ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, Utah - An investigation is underway after a hiker collapsed and later died at Arches National Park in Utah.. Park rangers said the 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 Esther 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.. We've received your submission. "I've always wanted to meet him, though not in this way," he said. 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 Petito was found deceased in Wyoming on September 19, 2021, at the Grand Teton National Park. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 1. Two tourists fell to their death while hiking in a popular area of Utahs Arches National Park on Friday, authorities said. Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. RELATED: Utah teen dies after falling 150 feet while climbing near cliff, police say. Join. We are grateful that Judge Jenkins honored Essie's life and legacy with this award," Littlepage said in a statement to PEOPLE. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "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. Het Arches National Park is bekend vanwege de indrukwekkende rotsformaties en balancerende rotsen zoals de Courthouse Towers, Windows Section, Alongside theNational Park Service, Outsider wants visit to be safe, memorable, enjoyable, and above all: safe. View of the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Death Valley National Park is the hottest and driest national park on earth. 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. Nakajjigo's husband and parents filed a $270 million administrative claim against the National Park Service in 2021 over her death. Intense sunlight, low humidity, and open desert with a lack of shade all compound these temperatures to make them potentially deadly to visitors. The complaint also describes how Michaud had to witness the grisly scene. On Sept. 1, Laundrie returned to his parents' home in Florida alone. "The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Uganda's 'Young Personality of the Year,'" the Denver Post reported. 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'. "On behalf of the United States, we again extend our condolences to Ms. Nakajjigo's friends, family and beloved community.".