A man is facing charges after a 20-year-old Pirates fan fell 21 feet from his seat onto the field at PNC Park during an April 30 game between the Pirates and Cubs. Police say Ethan Kirkwood, 21, admitted to buying alcohol for Kavan Markwood before the incident, leading to two misdemeanor counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor, per CBS News. According to court documents, surveillance footage captured Kirkwood purchasing two 24-ounce beers shortly before 7pm that night, with both men shown holding alcohol afterward.
Kirkwood reportedly made a similar purchase about an hour later. The fall occurred after Markwood appeared to celebrate a key play, clipping the railing in front of his seat and dropping to the warning track below. Emergency crews responded, and the game was delayed as Markwood was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Markwood's injuries were extensive, affecting his skull, brain, spine, ribs, and lungs.
Still, doctors say his recovery has been progressing faster than anticipated, with Allegheny General Hospital's chief medical officer noting that many people wouldn't survive a fall from that height. As of early May, Markwood had been set to be moved from the hospital to rehab. Kirkwood, meanwhile, has had legal troubles involving alcohol in the past, reports NBC News: Court records show he pleaded guilty in both 2022 and 2023 to charges of public drunkenness and the purchase of alcohol by a minor. A preliminary hearing for Kirkwood is set for June 23, per ESPN. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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