Fan who fell out of PNC Park stands appears in court to support friend accused of giving him alcohol
By Megan Shinn
Click here for updates on this story
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — During the Pirates Cubs game on April 30th, Kavan Markwood fell 21 feet over the Clemente Wall in right field. Shortly after, his friend Ethan Kirkwood faced charges for allegedly giving the 20-year-old two beers at the time.
Markwood’s fall over the wall at PNC Park made national news, and this morning, inside Pittsburgh city court, Ethan Kirkwood appeared for a preliminary hearing.
Remarkably, Markwood was walking by his side, nearly five months after he fell two stories down to the field. Doctors told KDKA that Markwood sustained serious injuries to his skull, brain, spine, both sides of his ribs, and his lungs.
During an interview with Inside Edition earlier this month, Markwood said he wakes up with pain every day and can’t feel two of his fingers.
Kirkwood faced two misdemeanor counts of selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor. Now, after today’s court appearance, Kirkwood’s lawyer said one charge was waived, leaving only one misdemeanor.
Kirkwood faced these charges after police said he told them he bought drinks for Markwood while the two were at the game together. Kirkwood’s lawyer, William Stockey, said the two young men are like brothers, living together at times, since Markwood’s parents passed.
Neither man wanted to do an interview until the court proceedings were done.
In the meantime, seeing them side by side is a show of support amid a charge for giving alcohol to a minor who fell 21 feet and lived to tell the tale.
Kirkwood’s docket shows the next time he’s scheduled to be in court is November 13th.
Pirates say 20-year-old had 2 beers, did not buy them When Markwood fell from the Clemente Wall onto the field at PNC Park on a Wednesday night in April, a Pirates spokesperson told KDKA-TV that he showed no known signs of intoxication, but later learned through credit card receipts that one of the people in his group had legally purchased drinks four times.
With the purchase, the limit of two drinks at a time, the other fan bought four beers and three Surfsides, the club spokesperson said.
Aramark, the food service provider at PNC Park, said in a statement provided to CBS Pittsburgh, “We are committed to creating a fan experience that is both enjoyable and safe, and our long-standing alcohol compliance program is fundamental to that commitment. Our thoughts remain with the fan and his friends and family.”
Markwood’s road to recovery following fall Days after his fall, Markwood’s family posted an update to social media saying that he was “awake, alert, and able to speak.”
While they hailed his progress he made in a short time as “miraculous,” he still faced a long road.
That long road to recovery got shorter just days later when he took his first steps.
“Kav took his first steps today! It’s a slow, slow process, but seeing him up and moving was a huge win and definitely lifted everyone’s spirits,” Jennifer Phillips wrote in an update just days after the fall.
Markwood’s progress seemed to go from slow to fast quickly, according to his doctors.
“I’m happy to say that he’s progressed really, really well. He’s at a point now where he’s off the breathing machine, he’s out of the intensive care unit, and he’s preparing to move to the next step, which will be physical therapy rehab,” said Allegheny General Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Al Philp. “Seeing him recover so quickly has really been gratifying, frankly, ahead of schedule from what we would have anticipated given the real severity of his injuries.”
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.