Twist as charges laid after young fan's horror plunge
A 21-year-old friend of the 20-year-old man who fell six metres from the stands during a Pittsburgh Pirates MLB game in April has been charged with giving him alcohol.
Ethan Kirkwood was charged with two counts of furnishing alcohol to someone under 21 for allegedly buying beer for Kavan Markwood before Markwood plunged from the stands, according to a criminal complaint filed on Tuesday.
The complaint, written by Officer Timothy Zundel of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, states that Kirkwood admitted he purchased beer for Markwood, who is one birthday shy of being the legal age to consume alcohol.
The document does not allege alcohol consumption caused Markwood's fall. Kirkwood did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kirkwood, the complaint stated, is seen on video purchasing three rounds of beer, each time holding two cans of the beverage.
The high school acquaintances were with two women at the game, the complaint states, one of whom is Markwood's girlfriend.
She told Pittsburgh police after the fall that her boyfriend had two of the beers during the game, according to the complaint.
After Markwood fell, the women were seen on video scrambling to find Kirkwood, who subsequently handed a can to one of them before it was thrown in the bin, the complaint stated.
Kirkwood then jumped over a railing and rushed to the field 'to help his friend', the complaint said. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition. Credit: AAP
Court records show Kirkwood pleaded guilty to charges of public drunkenness and the purchase of alcohol by a minor twice each for incidents in 2022 and 2023.
Tuesday's criminal complaint alleges 'defendant's reputation for criminal activity' bolsters its credibility.
Markwood fell over the Roberto Clemente Wall after Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen produced a two-run double to give the Pirates a 4-3 lead and final score in the seventh inning.
The fall was followed by stunned silence amid the more than 11,000 people at the park as players took a knee and Markwood appeared motionless on the field.
He was rushed to Allegheny General Hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition, before his condition improved.
On May 5, Markwood's sister Taryn thanked first responders, hospital personnel and well-wishers who she said helped buoy the man's spirits and that of his family.
She reported that breathing tubes were removed, a development that signals a patient is breathing on their own.
'I'm incredibly thankful to share that Kav is making remarkable progress,' Taryn Markwood said at the time.
Markwood himself spoke out two days later, telling the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he had 'broken everything,' had back pain and was unable to sleep but was otherwise 'all right.'
Markwood and Kirkwood are each listed as players for South Allegheny High School's football team during the 2021-2022 season.
After Markwood's fall, the South Allegheny School District said Markwood was a team MVP who graduated in 2022.
A preliminary hearing in the case against Kirkwood was scheduled for June 23.
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Perth Now
21-05-2025
- Perth Now
Twist as charges laid after young fan's horror plunge
A 21-year-old friend of the 20-year-old man who fell six metres from the stands during a Pittsburgh Pirates MLB game in April has been charged with giving him alcohol. Ethan Kirkwood was charged with two counts of furnishing alcohol to someone under 21 for allegedly buying beer for Kavan Markwood before Markwood plunged from the stands, according to a criminal complaint filed on Tuesday. The complaint, written by Officer Timothy Zundel of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, states that Kirkwood admitted he purchased beer for Markwood, who is one birthday shy of being the legal age to consume alcohol. The document does not allege alcohol consumption caused Markwood's fall. Kirkwood did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kirkwood, the complaint stated, is seen on video purchasing three rounds of beer, each time holding two cans of the beverage. The high school acquaintances were with two women at the game, the complaint states, one of whom is Markwood's girlfriend. She told Pittsburgh police after the fall that her boyfriend had two of the beers during the game, according to the complaint. After Markwood fell, the women were seen on video scrambling to find Kirkwood, who subsequently handed a can to one of them before it was thrown in the bin, the complaint stated. Kirkwood then jumped over a railing and rushed to the field 'to help his friend', the complaint said. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition. Credit: AAP Court records show Kirkwood pleaded guilty to charges of public drunkenness and the purchase of alcohol by a minor twice each for incidents in 2022 and 2023. Tuesday's criminal complaint alleges 'defendant's reputation for criminal activity' bolsters its credibility. Markwood fell over the Roberto Clemente Wall after Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen produced a two-run double to give the Pirates a 4-3 lead and final score in the seventh inning. The fall was followed by stunned silence amid the more than 11,000 people at the park as players took a knee and Markwood appeared motionless on the field. He was rushed to Allegheny General Hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition, before his condition improved. On May 5, Markwood's sister Taryn thanked first responders, hospital personnel and well-wishers who she said helped buoy the man's spirits and that of his family. She reported that breathing tubes were removed, a development that signals a patient is breathing on their own. 'I'm incredibly thankful to share that Kav is making remarkable progress,' Taryn Markwood said at the time. Markwood himself spoke out two days later, telling the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he had 'broken everything,' had back pain and was unable to sleep but was otherwise 'all right.' Markwood and Kirkwood are each listed as players for South Allegheny High School's football team during the 2021-2022 season. After Markwood's fall, the South Allegheny School District said Markwood was a team MVP who graduated in 2022. A preliminary hearing in the case against Kirkwood was scheduled for June 23.
7NEWS
21-05-2025
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Friend charged by police after 20-year-old fan's horror plunge at MLB game
A 21-year-old friend of the 20-year-old man who fell six metres from the stands during a Pittsburgh Pirates MLB game in April has been charged with giving him alcohol. Ethan Kirkwood was charged with two counts of furnishing alcohol to someone under 21 for allegedly buying beer for Kavan Markwood before Markwood plunged from the stands, according to a criminal complaint filed on Tuesday. The complaint, written by Officer Timothy Zundel of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, states that Kirkwood admitted he purchased beer for Markwood, who is one birthday shy of being the legal age to consume alcohol. The document does not allege alcohol consumption caused Markwood's fall. Kirkwood did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kirkwood, the complaint stated, is seen on video purchasing three rounds of beer, each time holding two cans of the beverage. The high school acquaintances were with two women at the game, the complaint states, one of whom is Markwood's girlfriend. She told Pittsburgh police after the fall that her boyfriend had two of the beers during the game, according to the complaint. After Markwood fell, the women were seen on video scrambling to find Kirkwood, who subsequently handed a can to one of them before it was thrown in the bin, the complaint stated. Kirkwood then jumped over a railing and rushed to the field 'to help his friend', the complaint said. Court records show Kirkwood pleaded guilty to charges of public drunkenness and the purchase of alcohol by a minor twice each for incidents in 2022 and 2023. Tuesday's criminal complaint alleges 'defendant's reputation for criminal activity' bolsters its credibility. Markwood fell over the Roberto Clemente Wall after Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen produced a two-run double to give the Pirates a 4-3 lead and final score in the seventh inning. The fall was followed by stunned silence amid the more than 11,000 people at the park as players took a knee and Markwood appeared motionless on the field. He was rushed to Allegheny General Hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition, before his condition improved. On May 5, Markwood's sister Taryn thanked first responders, hospital personnel and well-wishers who she said helped buoy the man's spirits and that of his family. She reported that breathing tubes were removed, a development that signals a patient is breathing on their own. 'I'm incredibly thankful to share that Kav is making remarkable progress,' Taryn Markwood said at the time. Markwood himself spoke out two days later, telling the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he had 'broken everything,' had back pain and was unable to sleep but was otherwise 'all right.' Markwood and Kirkwood are each listed as players for South Allegheny High School's football team during the 2021-2022 season. After Markwood's fall, the South Allegheny School District said Markwood was a team MVP who graduated in 2022. A preliminary hearing in the case against Kirkwood was scheduled for June 23.
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- News.com.au
New vision shows moment it all went wrong for fan who broke neck in fall
A new video of the moment a Pittsburgh Pirates fan fell 6m after leaping up with excitement and plunging to the field shows what might have caused the harrowing plunge. Kavan Markwood, 20, is shown from behind jumping to his feet before his leg clips the railing directly in front of him in new footage of the horrific PNC Park incident taken during April 30's game against the Chicago Cubs and shared by CBS News. You can watch the moment in the video player above The heart-stopping video, taken by security cameras inside the stadium during the bottom of the seventh inning, shows a shirtless Markwood, wearing beige shorts, springing to his feet before flipping over the railing as he celebrated an RBI double from the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen. The fall is being treated as 'accidental in nature' by Pittsburgh Public Safety, which investigated the incident. Markwood, who broke his neck, back, and collarbone, is a former star football player at South Allegheny High School. Earlier vision of the incident showed him dramatically tumbling to the playing field. After being admitted to Allegheny General Hospital in a critical condition last Wednesday, Markwood was alert and awake as of Saturday night, after a 'miraculous' recovery, according to Jennifer Phillips, who organised a GoFundMe for him. Markwood was treated by trainers from both the Cubs and the Pirates as EMS and police responded immediately to remove him from the field following the fall from the Clemente Wall over on the right field bleachers onto the warning track. A second fan also jumped onto the outfield from a lower section to help Markwood. The game was delayed for about 10 minutes before play resumed. 'We are all deeply saddened and truly heartbroken after the terrible accident that occurred last night,' Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement on Thursday. 'It was one of the most difficult moments many of us have ever experienced. We are devastated. Pirates baseball is a community, and our fans are like family. In times like these, we must come together, support one another, and keep him and his loved ones in our prayers. 'We also want to thank and appreciate the efforts of the first responders who rushed to his attention and provided him with compassionate care,' Nutting added. PNC Park was in the news again in the past week after a stadium employee got into a fight with a fan during a game on Sunday. The employee is seen throwing at least three punches at the fan and whipping them with a belt following an animated argument, video posted on social media of the incident during the game against the San Diego Padres shows. The employee has since been suspended and an investigation has been launched, the club said in a statement. 'We are aware of the unfortunate incident that occurred following the conclusion of [Sunday's] game between a PNC Park game day employee and a guest,' the statement read. 'The employee's behaviour was entirely unacceptable, and he was immediately suspended. This incident is currently under further investigation.'
