Man Charged With Giving Alcohol to Fan Who Fell Onto Field at Pirates Game

A Pittsburgh-area man has been charged with allegedly providing alcohol to Kavan Markwood, 20, the former college football player who fell 21 feet onto the field at PNC Park last month.

Ethan Kirkwood, 21, was arrested on Tuesday, May 20, and charged with two third-degree misdemeanor counts of furnishing alcohol to an underage person, according to court documents viewed by The Athletic.

A criminal complaint obtained by WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh said an officer with the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement viewed surveillance video from the night of the incident, which led to Kirkwood’s arrest. 

The video showed Kirkwood buying two 24-ounce Miller Lites, and later showed Kirkwood and Markwood walking together, each holding a beer.

After Markwood’s fall, cameras showed two women “running down the stairs and looking for Kirkwood. Kirkwood is then seen handing a can to a female who throws it in the trash and jumping over a railing and then jumped on the field to help his friend.”

Kirkwood admitted to buying Markwood alcohol inside the stadium, per the complaint.

Markwood’s girlfriend, Alonna Brown, told Pittsburgh police that Markwood did not drink before entering the game and that he had two beers inside the ballpark.

Kirkwood is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on June 23.

Markwood, who played college football at Division II Wheeling University, broke his silence about the incident on May 7.

“I’m alright,” he told Pittsburgh’s TribLive. “I can’t really sleep. I have a lot of back pain.”

Markwood sustained injuries to his spine, ribs and lungs, as well as a brain injury. The former athlete said it felt like he had “broken everything” after his fall.

“I’m happy to say that he’s progressed well,” Dr. Allan Philp said during a May 7 press conference, “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.”

A GoFundMe started by Jennifer Phillips, the mother of Markwood’s girlfriend, has raised over $67,000 for Markwood’s recovery.

“We wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for your incredible support,” Phillips wrote on May 8. “Our family is beyond grateful. Kavan is continuing his recovery with strength and resilience and preparing for the next stage of treatment. Your donations will help to cover the immediate medical expenses that he will endure until he can get back on his feet and back to work.”

The post continued, “We still have a journey ahead, but knowing that we have this amazing community behind us makes all the difference. Please continue to share this fundraiser, and keep Kavan in your thoughts and prayers.”