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Friend charged with giving beer to fan who fell on field at Cubs-Pirates game

1 month agoZoe Grossman

The story of the fan who fell at PNC Park on April 30 has a new development.

On Tuesday, Pittsburgh’s WTAE-TV reported 21-year-old Ethan Kirkwood was charged with ‘furnishing alcohol to a minor,’ at the game, according to a public report by Pennsylvania State Police.

[MORE: Cubs react to scary fan fall at PNC Park during game vs. Pirates]

Kirkwood is a friend of 20-year-old Kavan Markwood, who was critically injured after toppling over the 21-foot Clemente Wall during the Cubs-Pirates game. The two attended the game together along with other friends.

The report stated Kirkwood purchased two 24-ounce cans of Miller Lite, and surveillance footage showed both men ‘in possession’ of a can of beer at multiple timestamps, according to a criminal complaint from the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.

A short time later, Markwood fell over the railing as fans celebrated an Andrew McCutchen double, sustaining severe injuries to his skull, spine, ribs and lungs. The report stated Kirkwood was the man who jumped over a railing and then onto the field to help Markwood.

[MORE: Update on injured fan who fell at PNC Park during Cubs-Pirates game]

Kirkwood since confirmed he bought the alcohol for Markwood, according to the complaint. He is awaiting a preliminary hearing on the misdemeanor charge.

Markwood was transported to Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition the night of the incident. A few days later, the mother of Markwood’s girlfriend’s reported he was “awake, alert and able to speak,” through a GoFundMe page. In a later update, the woman, Jennifer Phillips, wrote that Markwood “still has a long way to go” and is “dealing with a broken neck, clavicle, and back.”

On May 7, Allegheny General’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Al Philp told WTAE-TV Markwood has “progressed well.”

“He’s at a point now where he’s off the breathing machine, he’s out of the intensive care unit, and is preparing to move on to the next step, which will be physical therapy, rehab,” Philp said.

Markwood also spoke to media for the first time that day, telling Pittsburgh’s TribLive that he is “all right.”

[MORE: Fan who fell from Clemente Wall at Pirates-Cubs game reveals injuries]

“I can’t really sleep. I have a lot of back pain,” Markwood said.

Phillips added on GoFundMe that “seeing him up and moving was a huge win and definitely lifted everyone’s spirits.”