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Police Announce Decision On Tragic Fall At PNC Park

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated May 20, 2025 4:41 PM ET

Earlier this month a baseball fan at the Pittsburgh Pirates' PNC Park fell from the wall and dropped 21-feet while celebrating a play. A lot of things went wrong to reach that point and one of the people partially responsible is now facing criminal charges.

According to TMZ, court records show that 21-year-old Ethan Kirkwood is facing two misdemeanor courts of furnishing liquor to 20-year-old Kavan Markwood. Per the criminal complaint, Kirkwood was seen buying "two tall cans of beer" at the start of the game and subsequent video shows that both of them had a beer in their hands.

The footage also suggests that Kirkwood went back to the bar and returned with two more beers prior to Markwood's fall in the seventh inning.

Authorities further allege that Kirkwood admitted to buying alcohol for Markwood. Kirkwood will be due in court for a preliminary hearing in June.

Markwood is lucky to be alive after the fall. He sustained a broken neck, broken clavicle and a broken back in the accident. Thankfully, he has said he is doing "all right" - all things considered.

“I’m all right,” Markwood said a few weeks ago. “I can’t really sleep. I have a lot of back pain.”

Footage of Markwood's fall shows he leaped up from his seat in the front row after a big hit from the Pirates. Somehow, he landed awkwardly on the railing and flipped forward, crashing into the outfield.

Had Markwood fallen at even a slightly different angle, he likely would have died.

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 07: A general view of PNC Park during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday, April 7, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/MLB Photos via Getty Images)Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Markwood's girlfriend's mother has been working on a GoFundMe page to raise money for his treatment:

“It’s a slow, slow process, but seeing him up and moving was a huge win and definitely lifted everyone’s spirits,” Phillips wrote on the Kavan's GoFundMe page.

“He still has a long way to go — he’s dealing with a broken neck, clavicle, and back so there are plenty of obstacles ahead. But he’s showing real strength, and we’re staying hopeful for a smooth recovery. This will also require plenty of rest and following instructions from the great doctors, nurses and staff at the hospital.”

As for Kirkwood, he's got a lot of other problems to worry about.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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